


A Mortal's Morality: An Assassin's Creed Epic

by dbdwarri0r



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Kim Possible (Cartoon)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, Torture, VERY BRIEF Necrophilia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2018-10-23 02:13:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 61,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10710042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbdwarri0r/pseuds/dbdwarri0r
Summary: It is hard to deviate when you are bound by blood and fidelity. We learn this over time, when our mettle is tested at the end of each day- when our resolve is questioned time and time again. Like a ball and chain, we are bound to that of which we hold dearest. Our friends, our mentors, our beliefs, and our principles, we are fixed to these like our lungs to air. So, when you finally abandon all that you know, expelling the very breath from your lungs, what are you to do but suffocate; to leave yourself lost and without purpose?You must move on. Find a new purpose; find new values. Each and every one of us has a role greater than we've ever known, and it is through this deviation that we can be fully rid of the fictitious and false. Only then are you truly free.And once you are free, you will find your true purpose. Be it with another outfit, another faith, another desire, you will find what openly calls to you. Take your breath somewhere else and thrive for today. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift- that is why they call it the present.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this account since early 2016, but I've visited the Archive countless times before for my favourite stories. This is my first public post ever, and I realize that criticism is inevitable. So, let me say it is openly welcome. I would love to know how I can improve my writing and appeal to a larger conglomerate of everyday readers.  
> The prompt was borne of a little disappointment when I found very few works with this particular crossover, so I decided to try it out for myself. I quickly figured out that incorporating much of the Kim Possible lore was beyond my current capacities, and I must warn the readers that the text is geared towards Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and it's story-line.  
> I hope I can take you on a ride of twist and turns that make the story enjoyable, and constructive feedback is highly encouraged.
> 
> I do not take credit for any character names, characteristics, or plot that belong to Ubisoft or Disney.

The vicious sea breeze tore at her skin as she hung on the foremast, her fellow Assassins idling by. She grinned at the beach tearing through the fog, she’d waited to land for days.

“Johnson!” she called, never breaking away from the island. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? Look at it; littered with trees, flora, life! It’s truly magnificent.” she cooed. A chuckle followed her statement and she looked down. A young man, no older than herself, shook his head at her while he leaned on the post.

“And I suppose you haven’t forgotten our mission, have you, Kim, in all your admiration?” he drawled, cocking an amused eyebrow at the hooded redhead. She laughed and fell from the mast, landing with a soft thud on the deck. She flicked off the hood and ran her gloved fingers through her hair.

“Of course not, Kyle. I only expressed a bit of enjoyment, nothing more.” she smiled, tightening her belt around her waist. They’d be docking soon.

Kyle rested his hands on his hips, Kim never failed to amuse him. “So, tell me then, why are we here?” he made a grand gesture to the ship and his comrades who looked back, entertained as they were. Kim rolled her eyes.

“I would do little to disregard the Grandmaster’s orders, Kyle. Now, go and play, I don’t have time for your games.” she tussled his hair and let him be, stalking away to the captain. He stood at the base of the bowsprit, looking over the hawk figurehead out at sea. She crossed her arms behind her back and stood quietly beside him and he acknowledged her with a small laugh and the quirk of his brow.

“Possible.” he greeted, turning fully to talk. Kim did the same, letting her hands hang loose at her sides. “Edward.” she responded, a small smile on her face.

“I see you shot him down, yet again. That boy likes to fish for trouble where he shan't find any. I say, that boy is a class a sailor if I do say so myself.” he glanced back at the man, Kyle had already skewed off to talk to some of the others. Edward shook his head, turning back to look at the island breaking through the ocean mist.

“Yes, well, he’s the best damn gunman I’ve ever met, so someone’s got to keep him around.” Kim shrugged, watching him joke with his friends. “I keep him in check most days.” she smirked. Edward chuckled at her, but turned to face her nonetheless.

“What of your duties, Kim? You cannot spend your time managing him. Have you trained today? Tell me you have.” he looked at her with a smile but she knew he was serious.

“Yes. I’ve kept up on my sword and have become adept with a bow. I’m good at what I do.” she defended. Edward slumped his shoulders a bit. “I wasn’t questioning your skill, Kim. Believe me, I know very well you can handle yourself. I only wish to see you safe, you know that. I haven’t lost a single part of my crew before and I don’t intend to do so now.” he looked back at the other Assassins, each tending to themselves.

“Still holding onto that pirate jargon, _sailor_ , _crew_.” Kim smiled as she mocked him. Edward mimicked her expression. “Of course I am.” he perked up. “It was some of the best time I’ve ever experienced in my life. No rules, no creed, no code.” Edward drifted gently into memory. Kim watched him thoughtfully, staring at the steadily approaching land.

“Do you miss it?” she asked, resting her hand on the hilt of her blade. It sat still at her side. Edward grinned, but said nothing about it. “No. I don’t miss it. I’ve finally got a family I can trust, a special one that will stand by my side no matter what. I couldn’t ask for more.” he beamed, catching the eye of the redhead. She patted his back roughly, chuckling. “Love you too, Kenway.” she turned towards the helm, standing quietly beside Edward.

“Men, women! Prepare to dock!” he shouted. Edward took to the wheel, leaving Kim up front. She squinted at the beach, it was bare. She drew her sword, staring out at the white sand that had been bleached by years of sunlight. Shells scattered the shore, but that was the extent of its occupants. It was strange, really. No troops, no cargo, no wreckage. Just sand.

“So,” Kim jumped at Kyle’s voice. She sighed and settled again, letting him continue. “What do you think we’ll find here?” he asked. Kim raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” responded Kim. Kyle glanced at her and tapped his fingers on the ship’s rail.

“Do you think we’ll get them all? I mean, all the siblings?” he asked. Kim shrugged. She guessed _someone_ reminded him of his duties. “I hope so.” she mumbled, tightening her fist around the sword handle. Kim began to feel weary of the island; nobody had ever gone there before. Well, nobody but the Templars. It was strange at the least, knowing nothing of what they’d encounter. She stifled a chuckle, Ronald wouldn’t think about such trifling things. He’d run onto the shore with nary a thought of the danger that came with it.

Kyle noticed her small smile and longing eyes and he sighed. “You’re thinking about Ron, aren’t you.” it wasn’t a question, Kim realized. “I just don’t know why he’d leave the creed. He was passionate about justice, but I didn’t think he’d turn to the National Guard to achieve it.” Kim shrugged, looking at Kyle.

He shrugged with her. “Maybe he was tired of the bloodshed. We see a lot of it, doing what we do.” Kyle stared at her drawn sword and she stared at his, though it was still sheathed. A frown creased her face and she tightened her grip once more.

“You know we can’t cease to eliminate the Templar population until we’ve ensured the safety of all. We can’t do that until every last one of them, and their accomplices, are brought to justice.” she sneered, but Kyle knew it wasn’t at him. Flashes of her old creed flickered in her mind, dying memories of fallen comrades and burning homes. Her stomach churned at the thought.

“So much murder, so much pillage. I’ll never forget what those bastards did. They killed our brothers and sisters, murdered countless innocents, destroyed homes and broke families. And that bastard, Laureano de Torres y Ayala, was the head of it all.” she snarled, slicing a groove into the deck with her blade. Kim huffed angrily through her nose, trying as she might to calm herself. It was of little use. “We’re going to bring those Gould siblings down, all five of them.”

Kyle softly laid a hand on Kim’s shoulder, holding it tight in his grip. “I remember what he did, but we’re not here to remember the past, only promise a better future. Besides, who knows, maybe you’ll find a Templar who isn’t all bad. I mean, one of them _must_ still be human.” Kyle laughed, but even he knew how farfetched that was. Kim grew a small smile, she knew he was trying.

“Thank you Kyle. But, a human Templar? No Templar could ever be human.” she pursed her lips and took a deep breath as the ship’s hull slid into the banks. She looked at Kyle and leapt onto the rail. “It’s time to bring these monsters to justice.” she called back, diving onto the sand.

One by one they followed, drawing their swords, brandishing their guns, testing their hidden blades. Six of them grouped on the shore while the other handful remained on deck. Their small numbers ensured they’d remain unseen. As a whole, they crouched into the forest edge, slipping into thick fauna to shroud themselves from the already limited light. They crept through the dense forestry, hugging tree trunks and gently treading over lush grass. Kim and Edward led the front of the crew, hoods cloaking their faces in the shadows. Not a single snap of a branch or huff of breath sounded from the six, the elite Assassins wandering the forest floor in search of their targets.

Hours of endless travel, not a single stop and not a single sight of a Templar left the group rather irritated. How big was this island?

Kim had yet to sheath her sword, unlike her companions. Edward took notice of it, it made him stifle a sigh. Kim always was feisty on missions, he was sure it would remain that way.

“Kenway, up ahead. What is that?” Kim stopped abruptly and whispered gently, eyes glued ahead. He squinted, scanning the brush for anything abnormal. Just across a clearing was what looked like a camp site, recently burned embers glowing in a doused fire pit. Large tents surrounded the pit, constructed of Caribbean cloth and native woods, standing tall. For the most part, the camp seemed unoccupied, having been abandoned for many hours, save for the various bundles of equipment and cargo.

“You think the siblings were here?” Kyle asked, studying the grounds. Kim glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “Take to the trees. Whomever stayed here might still be close. Remember, you kill a Templar on sight. Do not hesitate with the Goulds. They are master Templars and are not to be underestimated.” Fist high, Kim took a step away, scanning the site once more.

“Break.” She dove away and scaled a tree away from the others, watching them fan out in pairs. Beside her stood Edward, blade in one hand and pistol in the other. She lead on, walking among the trees as if they were the ground. Edward smiled proudly at his protege, she was the most skilled of his crew besides himself. He’d made a fantastic Assassin out of her.

“Kenway, listen. Voices.” she whispered, stilling herself against a trunk. She could hear the faint sound of an idle conversation, a male and a female spoke in hushed tones. They pressed on towards the sound, emerging into a smaller clearing, only a few yards wide. Standing in the circular space was a man and a woman.

“Are those the siblings?” Kim whispered, weary of her volume. Edward stared at them, he searched for a tell. When he spotted it, he pointed down at the two.

“Their skin, look.” he ordered. Kim’s eyebrows arched at the sight; the woman was a pale green and the male a light blue. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Warpaint?” she asked, but Edward didn’t care to respond. He tightened his grip and raised his sword, preparing to lunge. Kim did the same and met his gaze. A quick nod and she leapt from her perch, driving the sword down towards the woman.

Her blade struck dirt, embedded deeply into the earth as the woman dove away. The man did the same, both swiftly evading the attacks with ease.

“Henry, run! Get Marvin and the twins and get the hell out of here!” the woman shouted, her sword’s edge scraping the scabbard as she ripped it from its home, the glistening steel shimmering in the forest light. As the Assassins recovered, the burly man had taken off, escaping the scene as quickly as he could.

“Get up.” the woman snarled, pressing her boot into the soil. Kim roared mightily and raced forth to plunge her blade into the Templar, only to find her arm driven away and taken into a vice grip. The woman twisted Kim’s arm at a strange angle and threw her away, relishing in the sound of the Assassin’s body crashing into the tree.

“Kim!” Edward cried, looking at her as she regained her balance. He snarled and swung his blade, clashing against the woman’s as she chuckled. Her booted foot came up and slammed into his chest, flinging him back with unmatched force.

“I’m alone yet you are unable to best me? What a joke of an Assassin.” she laughed, watching Edward pick himself up off the ground. Kim screamed in anger, thrusting her wrist blade into the air. It skimmed the woman’s sleeve but was unable to reach skin. The Templar laughed, side stepping Kim and kicking her to the ground. Edward took advantage of her distraction and dove onto the green woman, tackling her to the ground. She coughed as the air was pushed from her lungs, glaring at the man above her. He swung his fist towards her head as she twisted away, letting his hand crash into the dirt. Her knee flew upwards and collided with his ribs and Edward gasped for air, allowing her to swing an unruly fist into his jaw. He rolled off, unconscious, and the woman stood. Kim was staring at Edward, stunned when he didn’t rise again.

“A pathetic excuse for an Assassin.” she mocked. Kim glared at her, clenching a fist.

“Kim!”

Kyle raced from behind the redhead, following was the others. They surrounded the woman, swords drawn as they circled her. Kim noticed that the woman’s amused smile had dissolved, replaced with an angry snarl. Kim met her gaze and she shivered; the Templar’s eyes were glowing green with rage.

“Capture the Templar!” Kyle shouted. “Do not kill!” he clarified, frown etched into his face upon seeing Edward’s unconscious body strewn on the ground. At once, Kyle and his team lunged for the woman, trying their best to subdue her with force. They swung fists, rammed their knees, and took control of her limbs to force her to the ground.

Kim took her chance and charged forward, meeting the eyes of the Templar once more before she slammed a mighty fist into her temple. The woman crumpled under the force, rendered unconscious by the attack. They released the woman, letting her fall onto her back. Kim growled and straddled the woman, preparing to plunge her wrist blade into the woman’s throat when Kyle tugged it back.

“You can’t kill her.” he said. Kim’s jaw slacked in shock. “We need her. The others escaped. We got here shortly after they pushed off.” he sighed, disappointed in his failed attempt to capture the others.

“Fine.” she snapped, punching the woman again a bit harder than before. With a little delay, Kim stood and let the others shackle the Templar. Kim sat beside Edward and shook him gently, observing his face. A large bruise had formed from the strike below his lip, but he seemed otherwise unharmed.

“Damn it Kenway, wake the hell up.” she mumbled. A quick glance ensured the help of another, as she and Kyle lifted Kenway over their shoulders. The group trudged back to the Templar camp, now utterly abandoned, and settled down. The ship ride had lasted days upon days, they all needed a break. The scouting cluster was soon joined by the remainder of the crew, along with a few practical supplies to last the cold night.

 

Kenway had begun to stir as the sun dipped below the horizon, and the party finally sat down to a hearty meal. Most of them, anyway. They had settled the Templar a little off from the camp, just around a few shrubs where they had secured her in chains to a burly tree. Kim would glance in that direction every now and then, frowning through the bushes.

“Hey,” Kyle tore her away, asking her attention. “You okay?” he asked. Kim nodded, looking at Kenway. He seemed to recover for the most part, nursing his jaw with a cold, metal plate. He seemed no worse for wear.

“He’s doing fine. Did she strike you at all?” Kyle requested her attention once more. Kim remembered the slight pain in her arm, but she did little to console it. “No,” she responded. “Just tired is all.” Kim paused to look at the bushes again. “What will we do with her?”

Kyle shrugged, pushing to his feet. He left only to return with a small platter decorated with various native fruits. “I was about to take this to her.” he mumbled, glaring in the Templar’s direction. Kim, however, raced to her feet. “I’ll do it,” she started. “You go join the others.” With her minor insisting, Kyle submitted and turned back to his comrades. They invited him over to the fire, gathered around it as they sang shanties.

Alone and hands full, Kim stalked away from the camp, slipping around where the fire’s light had not reached. There she saw the Templar, stripped of her gear and vulnerable. The woman seemed to be awake, busy staring through the trees and up to the shimmering stars of night. Kim began to approach, believing she had gone unnoticed.

“What do you want, _Assassin_?” the woman spat. Kim glared at the Templar but didn’t stop her advance. She eyed the woman’s arms, bound to the tree on either side. Kim wondered how they expected her to eat.

Kim stood beside the woman, staring down at her. Her green skin shone under the moon’s light, it looked almost ethereal. “Is there something you’d like to say?” the woman drawled, pulling Kim from her stupor. “What’s your name, Templar?” Kim asked, taking a seat in front of the woman. She received a hearty glare to her question. “Why on earth do you think I’d care to tell you?” asked the woman. Kim shrugged, setting the plate beside her. The Templar hadn’t even glanced at it. “I figured an introduction was in place, before interrogation of course. I was wrong?” Kim unsheathed a dagger from her belt and twirled it between her fingers. The woman’s glare deepened, it made Kim shudder.

“Do what you want, I swear you’ll regret it.” She snarled, pulling at her chains. Kim flinched ever so slightly at the motion, this woman was rather intimidating. She smirked at Kim’s movement, chuckling lightly. “Are you afraid? What a _mighty Assassin_.” She drawled. Kim growled and lunged forward, bringing the knife to her green throat. The Templar’s smirk had not dimmed.

“You reckless prat. Would you do so little to resist an urge, Princess?” she laughed, watching Kim’s face twist into one of agitation. “Do _not_ call me that.” Kim snapped, flicking the blade beside the woman’s face, tearing a sliver of wood from the trunk.

“Oh, am I being vexatious? By all means shut me up.” She glared at the Assassin, leaning forward with black lips curved up. She was having fun, after all.

Kim stared back, taking deep breaths to calm herself. After a moment of silence, Kim piped up. “So, mutt, why are you green? Warpaint?” Kim asked, gesturing towards the Templar. The woman’s smirk fell. “Is the fun over already?” she mocked. Kim frowned at her, but said nothing else. “Look, I’m not telling you a damn thing, so scurry off to your band of rats and plague this island with your presence for yet another minute.” she bit.

“Not until you tell me your name.” Kim insisted, punching the soft dirt at her sides. A moment of silence passed between the two before the Templar spoke. “Tell you what,” she started. “I’ll tell you mine, if you tell me yours first. Deal?” Kim gazed into the woman’s eyes, searching for a lie. “Kim. Now, you.”

“Shego.” the Templar responded, true to her word. “Now, will you leave me be?” Shego asked, tugging gently on her chains. The shackles had begun to sting. “Just one more question.” Kim watched Shego’s face fall.

“Why is your skin green?” she asked. Shego rolled her eyes, as if she had heard it a thousand times. “Look, I was born with it. It’s not paint and I’m not sick. Now, seeing how you’ve already squandered our time together, I’ve become tired, and it’s time for you to leave.” Shego’s eyes glowed with authority, Kim would not fight with that. Without another word, the Assassin stood and stalked away, not to return for the rest of the night.

Shego glared in her direction, she didn’t like that one. With a huff, she forced her gaze away, instead landing on the platter. With a snarl she kicked the plate away, flinging the fruits across the dirt and into the darkness.

 

The sun had risen only a little above the horizon when Shego had awoken. She sighed, it seemed she was the only one. She peered through the bushes and confirmed her suspicion.

“Damn it.” she mumbled, tugging the shackles. The metal clung to her wrists, tearing at the flesh; she could feel the warm sting of fresh wounds. Though, it bothered her more that she was unable to simply remove herself of them.

“You’d better stop that.” Shego huffed and looked ahead. Kim was leaning against a tree, arms crossed and face sporting a smirk. “You’ll wake the others.” she chuckled at the look she received, Shego began to visibly fume. “My apologies, Princess, for I would never wish to impose.” Shego bit, crossing her legs and straightening her back. Kim rolled her eyes and frowned at her, or more specifically the platter strewn at her feet. “You didn’t eat last night.” Kim remarked.

Shego didn’t respond, rolling her eyes and resting her head back. “You have any water?” she asked, eyeing the redhead’s water-skin resting at her belt. “Not unless you like salt water.” Kim chuckled, nearing the woman.

“I love this game just as much as the next person, but I’m growing tiresome of your antics.” the Templar grumbled, brilliant eyes ghosting over Kim’s face. Kim wrestled with herself; she never had this type of trouble with a hostage before. A few more seconds passed before Kim sighed in defeat, unclasping the skin from her waist. She crouched before the Templar, holding the skin at her side.

“If you try anything, I swear I’ll slit your throat.” warned Kim. With that, she brought the vessel to her lips and tilted it slowly. It seemed she tilted it too fast as a stream of water began to trickle down the Templar’s chin to her throat, slipping gingerly between her breasts. Kim couldn’t help but stare at the crest of cleavage exposed to the morning air, it was almost tantalizing. Then, with an abrupt grunt, Kim took the skin away, returning it to it’s home.

“Thank you, _Princess_.” Shego chuckled. Before Kim could question the gratitude Shego had wrapped her legs around the Assassin and yanked her forward, slamming her head into the tree trunk just above Shego’s shoulder. She heard the faint chuckling as she crumpled into Shego’s lap, falling into an inescapable wave of unconsciousness.

The Templar shook her head and smirked, kicking the woman onto her back. She stomped onto the key ring situated at her hip, snapping the loop and letting the bundle fall to the Earthen floor. She dug her boot under the keys and flung them towards the tree to land roughly into her hand. She swiveled her wrist awkwardly to insert the keys one by one, twisting until the shackle popped open. She sighed and examined her wrist quickly before unlocking the other. Shego frowned at the cuts for a moment before she stood and brushed off her shoulders.

“Princess, you mustn’t be so dimwitted.” she mumbled, shaking her head. With a quick yank, Shego had tugged the chains from the tree, wrapping them around Kim, locking the cuffs at her hands and binding her legs. The Templar hoisted Kim over her shoulder and began to stalk away from the camp, escaping before the sun had risen fully from the horizon.

 

As she ambled through the woods, Shego could not help but examine the Assassin’s face. She had no creased brow, no downturned lips, no nippy attitude. She seemed simply at peace, no matter how much that bruise grew. Shego huffed.

“I told you, Princess, you’d regret toying with me.” She stalked through the woods for quite a while, stopping for moments at a time to drink and eat from the bountiful fauna. It was during one of her stops that Kim began to stir.

“Ah, awake at last.” Shego nipped, sitting across from the downed Assassin. Kim groaned and tried to thumb her forehead only to find herself utterly immobile. “You sneaky little bitch. I knew you were more trouble than you were worth. You’re lucky I don’t-” Shego’s simple smirk made Kim furious, but she wouldn’t waste her breath. “You never leave the legs, Princess. They’re just as capable as hands.” Shego remarked, taking a bite from a sweetsop’s innards. Kim frowned at Shego but lulled over the fruit; she hadn’t eaten in a while.

“Want some?” the Templar asked, standing to her feet. She appeared to have stolen Kim’s dagger, cutting a bite size chunk from the fruit’s center. She crouched down beside Kim, holding it out on the tip of the blade. Kim eyed it carefully, she didn’t like her weaponry that close to her face.

“Look,” Shego rolled her eyes and lowered the knife. “If you don’t take it on your own, I’ll force it down. You’re no good to me dead.” she huffed. Kim didn’t want to chance it, so she complied, albeit with apprehension. However, she complained little as the sweet fruit danced on her tongue. Shego smirked in victory, chuckling as she dug out another chunk.

She handed over the other bite and returned to her spot a few yards away, having no longer needed the sweetsop. She mulled over the blade, eyeing it’s rather dull edge. It matched its owner, no doubt.

“Why did you take me?” Kim piped up with nothing more than a question, as was expected. Shego just chuckled at her naive nature, surely she wasn’t _that_ dim. “I need you, Princess. Without you, your _crew_ has no reason to let me meander off this island. They won’t let me leave, not after escaping first. I’m almost surprised you haven’t guessed it, regardless of how many layers you have stowed away in that thick head of yours.” she smirked, pointing the knife at Kim. The Assassin frowned.

“Must you kick me while I’m down? You’re a typical Templar, taking advantage when it best suits you.” Kim bit, glaring daggers and Shego couldn’t stop from glaring back. “And I assume that is what separates you and I?” she asked, resting her hands on her knees. “Your endless thirst for injustice, rather. Killing innocents to get what you want is what separates us, _Templar_.” hissed Kim, spitting angrily at her captor. Shego didn’t respond, she only stood to her feet, nearing Kim silently.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Kim. Shego had a frown etched into her face yet she said nothing in return. With a quick jerk, Kim was over the Templar’s shoulder, chains clanging against themselves. “Damn it Shego!” Kim growled, moving violently in attempt to shake free. It would prove effortless, the woman’s grip only tightening around her waist.

“If you keep this up, I’ll put you back to sleep.” Shego warned, digging her black-painted nails into Kim’s waist. The Assassin huffed and stilled, watching the ground as they walked on. They continued through the day, stopping once more to take care of their various needs. As the sun began to sink from its peak in the sky, they neared the edge of the woods, the trees and shrubs thinning out as they went along. Kim noticed the dwindling trees, it sparked her interest to say the least.

“All this lumber, it’s been chopped down. Why would you mighty Templars worry yourselves with timber?” asked Kim, looking at the lesser stubs of what once were many exotic trees. Shego just scoffed and paused in her step.

“Don’t be so naive, Princess. We need no timber from such a secluded place. It serves a more noble purpose,” she pushed past a few bushes and sat Kim down. “It houses the natives.”

Kim had the urge to rub her eyes furiously, surely she was imagining the immaculate scene before her.

Just past the forest edge was an enormous town, built three stories high with the re-purposed wood. The sea’s edge cupped the village’s ports, docked there were a handful of schooner ships. Kim stared in awe at the vast village, brimming with a thriving people. She could see the villagers tending to their daily jobs, carrying supplies, tailoring clothes, making foods, and everything in between.

“I don’t understand,” Kim looked up at Shego who stared out at the town, smile on her face. “This place was uncharted a couple days ago. How can there be a community here, one far more advanced than today’s mucky shanty town no less?” Kim was amazed; she didn’t know this place existed, let alone it simply could.

“I don’t see why not.” Shego brushed a bit of hair out of her face. “My family and I used to frequent here, and when we found this place, it had already begun its cultivation. When it turned to Templar occupance, we took it upon ourselves to help these people grow, thrive in a dangerous place.” the Templar looked upon the people with reverence, she had yet to see it on her latest visit. “We taught them how to fish efficiently, how to build sturdy homes, and how to create ships fast enough to race against the sea itself. We did not hurt these people- we helped them grow as a community.” Shego smirked at Kim, amused at the look she received. She crouched down beside Kim and settled beside her ear.

“We’re not all monsters.” She murmured, nipping the skin with her teeth. Kim jerked away, suddenly aware of her situation yet again. “So, why _do_ you need me? It’s not like they won’t hunt you down anyway.” Kim bit, confused glower dug into her face. Shego chuckled briefly and moved around the back of Kim. She heard the faint click of the cuffs unlocking, the tension in the chain drawing back. Shego moved the shackles to the front of Kim’s body and locked them there, holding a healthy amount of loose links out from the Assassin.

“So they won’t sink us, of course.” Kim’s look of dread did not go unnoticed as Shego untangled her feet. “ _Sink_? You think I’d agree to be on a ship with you?” the Assassin growled, tugging at the chains. Shego looked back nonchalantly. “I wasn’t asking.” With that, Shego yanked the chain, dragging forth the redhead. Kim huffed through her nose, but she knew there was no way she was getting out of her binds without making a scene. She eyed the people as they entered the town, townsfolk eyeing her back. They marveled at her and paid little attention to her immobilization, instead focused on the new face. A few people greeted Shego, men, women, children, they did one thing or another; waving, nice “hello’s”, shoulder pats, even a few hugs seemed to be a common greeting towards the Templar. The stranger thing was that they all spoke English, where in the Caribbean that is quite unnatural.

“Careful Princess, they know very well what you are. Keep close to me, do not make eye contact.” Shego mumbled, tugging the chain closer as she lead on. They crept towards the docks, nearing the Harbourmaster. An elderly man, skin the colour of the wet sand waved them over, quill in hand and parchment lain gently on the frayed wood.

“Shego, what can Pirro do for you?” His gravelly voice didn’t mask his kindness. “I need a ship. Can you help me?” she asked, holding the chain behind her back. Kim glanced at it, she decided it wasn’t worth the risk, if Shego’s warnings were meant to be heeded.

“Of course I can! Which one would you like?” He looked out at the docks, each space was full. Shego, on the other hand, didn’t even bother. “The one on the end there, the dark sienna. Is the captain here?” she asked, looking around for anyone other than herself. “That one is new, no captain. It’s been fully stocked though, should last until Long Bay.” he smiled, bowing his head and gesturing towards the two-masted schooner. Shego bowed back and took to the ship, taking with her the tentative Assassin.

“I’m not getting on that ship.” She growled, tugging harshly on the chain. Shego rolled her eyes and leapt over Kim and onto the deck, throwing the chain in a loop around the redhead. She pulled tight, pressing Kim’s arms to her sides. She tucked the loose links into themselves and hoisted Kim over her shoulder, dropping her roughly onto the deck.

“Hey!” Kim shouted. “You can’t do this!” she protested. Shego just rolled her eyes, unknotting the rope on the docks. She didn’t listen to Kim’s yells as she undid the sails, letting them catch wind and pull the ship offshore. The Templar sighed, jumping from the mast and settling at the wheel, leaving Kim down on the freshly scrubbed deck.

“How’d he know you were going to Long Bay?” Kim’s tone hadn’t dropped its anger, it was just meddled by curiosity. Shego shrugged.

“I live there.” her curt response was enough to satisfy. The Assassin cocked an eyebrow but said nothing else. Her head had begun to hurt from yelling, it wouldn’t help to continue. “I have something there, I can’t leave without it.” Shego added, revelling in the creak of the wood under her feet. She loved the sea, the waves, the breeze- it calmed her.

“So, what are you going to do with me when you get home?” asked Kim. The Templar just shrugged. “I don’t really know yet. We’ll see when we get there… If we get there.” Shego finished and muttered a curse under her breath. Off the coast, close enough to see with the naked eye, was Kim’s comrades. The flags brandished their creed symbol, and it was coming up fast. “How will they know it’s us?” Kim asked. She asked not out of curiosity, but of fear. If they didn’t know she was aboard, they may try to sink the ship. Shego just pointed up at her sails.

“We supply their cloth, most of it sporting our cross. I suppose they might not see-” she couldn’t finish as the sound of crackling cannon fire tore through the air. However, the sound was minuscule compared to the sound that reverberated through their ears as the cannon shell crashed into the ship’s head, tearing the bowsprit off the schooner. Kim watched with wide eyes as the discarded wood sunk into the ocean, peering over the ship rail into the swallowing waves of the sea. In Kim’s stupor, Shego had leapt from the wheel and onto the deck, lifting Kim and unwrapping a bit of chain.

“Hold still.” Shego warned, bringing the redhead to the helm’s stairs. She wrapped the loose chain around a few of the steps, securing Kim to the stairs as she returned to the wheel. She spun it roughly, turning away from her attackers. The Templar bounded to the masts, releasing the sails entirely. The distance between the schooner and the Assassin’s barque. Shego ducked with every cannon blast, watching as the metal spheres splashed into the ocean.

“Let me go! You’re going to kill us both!” Kim screeched, yanking on her binds. “Let them see me!” she barked. Shego on the other hand looked relatively calm. “Shut it and let me get us out of here.” she ordered. As they curved around the island coast, it became clear they wouldn’t lose them in open ocean. Shego growled in anger, ripping one of the wheel pegs off in her irritation. “Damn Assassins.” she mumbled, running a hand through her loose locks. The Templar glanced back at the Assassin ship, it was much bigger than she.

“What’s your plan, then?” Kim asked, breathing heavily. She could see her comrade’s ship, they hadn’t a clue she was aboard and they were going to take her down with the damn boat.

Shego looked to her right; nothing but the open sea for miles. To her left, however, a rocky valley pass, two jagged rock faces sandwiching the shallow waters below. She could see the shallows from her perch, but Shego was sure the schooner could handle it. No matter what, she was making it home. Sharply, she turned the wheel towards the peaks. The wind pulled awkwardly at the sails, but it propelled them forward regardless. On either side of them cannon shells plunged into the sea, crashing into jagged rocks, and almost tearing into their hull. “Come on.” mumbled Shego. Kim looked at the precipices that wished to trap them in the wreck-worthy shallows.

“You’re not going in there.” Kim was in shock, this Templar was insane! Kim gripped onto the wooden steps, holding tight as they grew closer to the cliffs. Shego leapt down from her perch and landed beside Kim, kneeling beside her. She enveloped the woman as they passed through the crevice, the sail’s structures scratching against the rock faces. Shrapnel rained down onto the deck, pelting the two when they emerged from the shallows nearly unscathed. Shego suffered minor scratches, pulling small shards from her shoulder when she was sure it was safe to rise. Kim was breathing heavily, staring at the green-skinned woman. Her once white undershirt was dirty beyond belief, random spots of brilliant reds staining her shoulder. However, Shego wasn’t concerned with such a small inconvenience, instead peering through the passage. She saw the Assassin ship turn, they were going to try to go around. The Templar looked at the rocks; they were miles long either way. She smirked, they weren’t going to be a bother any longer.

“You… are… nuts.” Kim breathed, trying to will her fear to trudge itself back to the depths of her gut. The Templar smirked at her. “You’re damn right.”

 

With that, they set sail for town. Day by day, Kim slept in chains, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t cared for. Shego often accompanied her for any daily needs: water, food, bathroom, and any exercise the woman saw fit. They’d walk around the deck in circles for a while and settle down for a quick meal of fruits and dried meats.

Shego had also managed to properly tend to her in the raging sea storms. She provided both animal skins, clothes, and herself for shelter from freezing rain, simple coverage from blistering heat, and she managed to keep Kim relatively calm through vicious waves. The Assassin was surprised to say the least. Three days in, they neared Long Bay, they could see the coast off in the distance. Kim was happy to see dry land.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do with me?” Kim asked, pulling her captor's attention from storage cellar. The woman shut the hatch and situated herself at the helm, steering gently. “No. I suppose I should figure something out soon.” Shego sighed, twirling a small Spanish lime between her fingers. Kim felt a bit of dread. She mustn’t forget who she’s with, and what Shego’s capable of. Kim glanced down at her shackles, she remembered how vulnerable she was, how close death could be.

“Why haven’t you killed me yet?” Kim asked the question that swam in her mind since the cliffs. The Templar visibly bristled at the question, tossing the fruit into the ocean and refusing to even spare a glance at the redhead. “I gave up killing long ago, Princess.” she murmured, looking deep in thought. Kim took notice, she struck a nerve it would seem.

“Why? I assume you have no use for me now, so why keep me around?” Kim persisted, looking up at the raven haired woman. Those piercing green eyes bore into Kim’s skull with every fleeting glance. “My life changed, _I_ changed. I’ve dropped killing altogether.” she responded, staring out at the port. Kim was intrigued; a Templar that didn’t kill?

“Did your Masters approve?” Kim chuckled, but it fell flat. “No, but they need me, or more my brothers. It was all of us, or nothing at all.” Shego shrugged it off, trying to regain a sense of composure. “What made you stop?” asked Kim. It was followed by several minutes of tense silence, a silence Kim accepted as her answer. She knew what it meant, it was the same reason she turned to killing.

“Family.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> N/A

The ship washed ashore, a docking crew settling the schooner into an empty space. Shego had since removed all of Kim’s chains, save for her wrists, much to the redhead’s surprise.

“Do not mistake your release for freedom. This part of the island is heavily occupied by the Templar order, and it’s people thrive on our support. Nobody has your back here, nobody is on your side. So, stay out of trouble while you’re with me.” Shego apprised quietly, glancing at Kim as they strode side by side.

The two stalked through town for a while, getting very few glances once it was made clear Shego was attending to the newcomer. “Have you decided what to do with me?” whispered Kim, watching the composed expression on her escort’s face. “No, but I am in no hurry. Frankly, I realize you are of great value to me. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to leave this city without the help of a Templar anyway. I figure you can’t man a barque on your own.” Shego smirked when Kim writhed with angst.

“Will you at least tell me where we’re going?” Kim snipped, she was growing tired of Shego’s schemes. “You’ll find out soon enough.” was the quiet response. Kim growled and yanked on the chains, trying as she might to gain an upper-hand. With a mighty roar, Kim dove into her captor, wrapping the chain around her smooth green throat. The Templar snarled, swinging a fist into the redhead's cheek where she reeled backwards, skidding on her backside.

“Kim!” Shego hollered, watching as the Assassin raced to her feet and turned tail. With another muttered curse, Shego took off after the woman. “Back off, Shego!” Kim yelled, kicking down a fruit vendor’s roadside stand. The fruits pelted the street and people crowded around the mess as Kim hurtled on. Shego gnashed her teeth and stopped abruptly as people blocked her path. She could see Kim tear on, littering the street with objects of her haste.

“Son of a…” she mumbled, looking from her left to right. She rolled her eyes as she spotted a roof lift, loaded with brick and wood planks. She leapt onto the platform and severed the tension rope, flying up to the rooftop of the tavern below. The Templar rolled her shoulders and twisted her neck, loosening her otherwise lesser used muscles and took a deep breath. Her ethereal eyes darkened, greying out the blandest of colours and illuminating the bright. Just before the clock-tower was a burst of brilliant red, turning the corner and barrelling through a group of churchgoers. Shego smirked something from hell.

“Found you.” she chuckled, exhaling and bolting on the rooftop. Her boots wrenched up loose shingles, the panels flying in shards as she vaulted and bound from rooftop to rooftop, gaining the attention of the people below. Shego turned left at the tower, smirk deepening when she saw Kim’s luscious red hair flutter behind her.

“You’d better be faster than that!” Shego shouted. Her glowing eyes narrowed in exasperation as Kim looked back, face in astonishment. In her shock, the Assassin managed to trip over a cluster of wine crates, sending both the boxes and herself reeling back, ramming into the ground. The alcohol swam into puddles under Kim as she groaned, turning to get up while remaining unaware of Shego’s silent pounce. The Templar landed on the redhead, pinning her to the ground with an unmatched force. Kim writhed under the vice grip of her captor, snarling in the green face of the irate woman. Shego rose a tight fist and cocked back her arm. Her muscles clenched, storing a Herculean strength in priming a devastating attack. Before she could deliver such a savage blow, however, she froze, staring forth into the street.

“Ah, Shego.” A man stood before the Templar, hands clasped behind his back and his back stout. He wore a deep blue overcoat, on his chest the Templar Cross. He smirked down at Shego, pulling forth his gloved palms and applauding his obstinate protege. “I see you’ve brought me an Assassin Rat. Who is this lovely lady?” Shego dared not say a word in response, instead rising to her feet, taking Kim with her.

“You are?” he asked, staring into Kim’s angry eyes. “Laureano de Torres y Ayala. You indignified, unruly, obsessed son of a bitch!” Kim tried to lunge from Shego’s firm grip, but it proved in vain.

“I’m afraid you are mistaken, child. _I_ am Laureano de Torres y Ayala, which leaves me still without your name. Must I ask again?” he smirked when Kim’s glare deepened. Laureano chuckled and waved behind him. Kim and Shego alike had not seen the array of heavily armed men standing at the ready until a few of them grouped to apprehend Kim, taking the control from the green-skinned Templar. “Take her back to Charlotte and prep her for interrogation.” All the man did was snap his fingers and they took the struggling Kim off, leading on to the fort. Shego watched her kick and scream though it did little to tear her from her Grand Master.

“As for you, Shego. Congratulations on your spectacular capture. I expect you’ve had a long trip with _that_ _one_ , so you can follow and rest in the barracks. I’ve got some rather troubling news to attend to and I imagine you have had enough for today.” His eyes betrayed his smile, Shego could feel the thrashing fury that swam under his skin when he spoke with her. No doubt he was displeased with her abandonment of her brethren. Nonetheless, she bowed her head and let him stalk away, leaving her alone in the emptied street to ponder _what_ exactly she had just done.

  


Back at the Templar Fort, Kim had been secured in a dungeon of sorts. She could hear the coastal waves crash against the thick cinderblock walls, the stone damp with moisture. She was perched on her knees, hands outstretched to either side of her body, pulled taut against the thick chains that bound her hands apart. To say she was simply fuming with terror was a bit of an understatement, and to say she was anything less than livid was the same.

Kim could remember the look on Shego’s face when she prepared to strike; a dark and raging expression that was borne from hell’s pits. She remembered the terror that swam in her gut when Shego bore the same fearful look towards her superior when he confronted them, the way her muscles bristled under the stained undershirt and the way her legs shook with unease.

She growled. “Damn you, Shego.” Kim grumbled, tugging on her binds. They clanked grumpily against themselves, rubbing at the apex of each link, and tapping the wall with the minor shifting. But, Kim stilled to listen as doors creaked open and slammed shut, metal latches locking in and out of place. The door to her _cell_ was flung open and a man clad in Templar garb walked in. His skin was a light purple, like he’d been bruised on every inch of his flesh.

He was followed closely by two younger Templars, both with bright red skin, like they’d been sunburnt. Olive eyes narrowed in recognition; these were the Gould siblings. But, Kim could not restrain her growl when the burly many from the island ducked under the door frame, joining his brothers in a straight-backed stance. They had their hands folded neatly in the smalls of their back and none of them allowed so much as glance at Kim, looking anywhere but.

“Have you met the Gould siblings?” Laureano’s gruff voice echoed off the wet walls, bouncing off the floor and pounding into their skulls. The Templar Master sauntered into the room and addressed Kim with a dark smirk. “I believe you’ve met one already. A firecracker, that one.” the man chuckled, turning to the siblings.

“Gentlemen, your dear sister will be joining us shortly. Is there anything you’d like to say?” de Torres turned to the smallest of the four, the red twins pressed closely to the tallest. They looked at Kim with confusion, eyeing her carefully. “What about you, Henry?” The tallest male- the blue skinned one from before- tensed when Laureano called for him. Weren’t they supposed to use aliases in the face of an enemy?

“I see no need to use fake names with a prisoner, let alone one that will not live to say them, Henry. Now, what do you have to say?” asked Laureano, his eyes narrowed towards the burly man in challenge. Henry did not meet his gaze, staring over his head and into the wall. He’d found a particularly interesting crack in the stone to examine, after all.

Laureano, on the other hand, was not so easily drawn away. He growled at the four and pivoted swiftly on his heel, facing Kim will his authoritative leer. “And I suppose you have nothing to say for yourself, having trespassed on private land, taken a hostage, and fled the island?” his scrutinizing stare peered into Kim’s own glare, lips turned into a deep frown. He rose a hand to strike Kim, a gloved back hand presented to her face as she winced, preparing for the blow. But, it never came. Instead, the door to the cell opened yet again, Shego’s slow stride carrying her to the front of her siblings. She too wore Templar attire, the blue overcoat and tight black trousers gripping her curves. Kim had to will herself to look away, to not ogle at the woman.

Shego, however, ignored Kim’s eyes, staring down at the Assassin. But her expression was not of anger or malice, instead it bore a resemblance to pity, eyes sullen and dark. “Ah, Shea. Glad you could join us. We were just asking your _travel companion_ ,” Laureano paused to laugh lightly, gesturing to the woman in binds. “A few questions. Care to entertain us?” the Grand Master asked, slinking away to let Shego stand before the Assassin.

“Sis?” she heard one of her brothers say. One of the red-skinned twins approached the woman, peering up at her with wide eyes. “What happened to you?” he asked, his voice but a mere squeak. Shego looked back at him, a small smile forced upon her black lips.

“Nothing, William. I am fine, really.” she whispered, resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. He relaxed a bit under her touch, eyes relaxed upon Kim.

“You, what is your name?” he asked. Kim looked at the boy with harsh eyes. Did he really expect it to be that easy? She looked away, glancing at the blue man. He was glaring at her, daring her to bite back. “Mine is William. That’s my twin, Warren.” said the boy. He gestured back at the twin who stood beside the purple Templar. William looked at Kim expectantly, intrigued eyes bearing into Kim’s.

“Kimberly.” she felt a burning urge to slap herself across the cheek for telling the boy, no matter how harmless he seemed. Pale wrists twisted in the shackles, rubbing against the steel. “Laureano, let me go. I have done nothing to provoke you.” she snapped, turning her attention to the Grand Master who stood idly in the corner, arms crossed as he watched the spectacle.

He only laughed, however, when Kim addressed him. “I beg to differ, _Kimberly_.” he spat, venom poisoning her name. He stalked up behind Shego, circling the green-skinned female as she stood at attention. “You attempted to kill my dear protege, did you not? You and your band of Assassins almost murdered her and her dear, sweet brother.” Kim watched with disgust as he continued on, circling around the room as he spoke. “Do not play innocent, Kimberly. You were sent to kill my soldiers on that island, weren’t you?” he spat, driving a boot into the stone before Kim’s knees. She only stared up at him with angry eyes, rage pooling in her gut. In a fit of temper Kim jumped from the floor, yanked back by the slack in her chains. They screeched in her ear, polished steel skidding against itself.

Laureano mumbled a mockery of her actions, snapping his head towards Shego. “Since you two have become rather, dare I say, _acquainted_ ,” he spat, clicking his teeth in a frown. “ _You_ , will watch over her. Do whatever you’d like. As long as she isn’t dead by morning,” he paused again, stalking to a rack of savage looking weapons and pulling a serrated kukri into his hands. He held the hilt out to Shego, watching her tentative fingers wrap around the wood.

“I don’t really care what you do.” his hellish smirk scorched it’s image into Shego’s mind, a fresh cut on her sanity. It would haunt her, she knew. Without a word, Shego bowed her head, blade hanging limply at her side. Laureano flicked his head towards the door, gesturing to be followed. He left with the siblings, leaving the room to bask in an uncomfortable silence so fierce it was almost deafening.

“I won’t hurt you, Kim.” Shego said suddenly, fingers loosening and the knife clattering to the ground. It’s glossy surface glinted in the midday sunlight that filtered through rusty bars. Kim watched the weapon settle on the stone, eyebrows peaked. But, her downturned lips stood strong.

“Why?” she asked, peering at the Templar before her. Shego’s shoulders shook, her body passing through countless tremors with a sort of dazed look and Kim began to watch the woman shudder violently, shaking her head and willing the memories to fade away.

“I… I just can’t… I promised.” the woman whispered, black lips moving on their own accord. “I promised her I wouldn’t do it again. Not unless I had to. I promised… I promised…” Shego’s words came out as a shaky breath, her eyes glazed with tears as the memories forced themselves back into her skull, pounding in her ears like an angry knock.

Kim watched, bewildered by the scene transpiring before her captive eyes. What had happened to the Templar, what had happened to _Shego_? The Assassin tilted her head down to look at the woman’s face, peering into the shadows that were cast over Shego’s face like a veil. Her usually brilliant green eyes were dark and empty, pupils wide in pain.

But, Kim could not allow herself to feel sympathy for the Templar. As long as she was a captive, she was to remain cold and unwelcoming, much like she should’ve done before. In an instant, Kim’s face hardened and she scoffed, leaning back with a scowl.

Shego pursed her lips and clenched her fists, staring Kim down. “I will not hurt you, Kim, but understand I cannot spare you questioning. So I’ll ask once, and only once: what were you doing on that damn island?” her voice was cold and her eyes black and uncharitable. Her clawed nails began to tear through the thick, black gloves on her hands, threads splitting beneath the tension. “I must stress that if you do not take advantage of your only chance to cooperate, I will turn command over to the Dungeon Master. He will not be so lenient.” she growled, letting Kim look between the rack of weapons to the door.

The Assassin glared at Shego, she was not weak enough to give in so quickly. “Do your worst, _Shego_ .” she spat, saliva slapping into the fallen kukri. The Templar’s shoulders drew up and she released her fists, turning silently to the door. She threw open the wood and pounded intensely on the thick cobble, her fist echoing off the wet stones and travelling down the hall. She remained at the door and Kim could hear a pair of heavy footsteps growing closer to the room. A silent nod was Shego’s greeting to the Dungeon Master, his face concealed behind a primitive leather mask, the only holes being two small slits to see when he stepped into the dreary cell. Kim could not see his eyes through the mask, but she felt them staring at her, steely and unforgiving. A muddy dread grew in her stomach like a disgusting mold as the man dragged his burly frame over to the weapons rack, ripping a barbaric looking Nine Tails from the wall, silvery steel glinting in the light. She could see small, metal hooks adorning the tails, running up and down the lengths of the stained leather. Some hooks were caked with dried blood and others with shreds- _ribbons_ \- of old flesh. Kim stared wide eyed at the torturous material, watching the Dungeon Master swing it around for good measure. All the while, Shego stood in the back of the room, much like Laureano, observing the scene with emotionless eyes. She had warned Kim, that was all she could do.

“Wait wait wait… You’re not serious?” Kim asked incredulously, tugging viciously at her shackles. The man chuckled deeply from behind the mask while his fingers curled tightly around the whip’s handle, scarred knuckles turning white. He’d have to hold it tight if he wanted the hooks to pull out again. Shego crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one foot. Gore didn’t bother her, never truly did, so the thoughts of what was to come brought her little discomfort. It was, however, the victim that made her stomach swim. But, she wouldn’t, _couldn’t_ , feel remorse for it. _She_ wasn’t going to hurt Kim, she’d promised. Her eyes stared down at Kim, the Assassin twisting in her binds, fighting herself not to panic.

“Okay okay! I’ll talk!” she hollered, closing her eyes as the man cocked back his arm to strike. Shego nodded once and turned to the Dungeon Master, taking the whip and gesturing to the door. Wordlessly, the Templar hung the whip up and turned to Kim, hands folded neatly behind her back as the man exited quietly.

“Speak, Kim. I won’t give you another chance.” said Shego, bearing down on the woman. Kim fought to look Shego in the eye, terror still seeping from her pores. What would she have done had Kim not spoken up? Nothing, that’s what.

“You’re a monster!” she screeched, tears building up behind her eyelids. They seared her nerves, threatening to escape.

“My decisions do not concern you, Kim. I asked you a question. Answer it.” the Templar bit, preparing to knock on the door. Kim shook her head in defeat, breathing heavily like she’d run for miles.

“Yes. We were sent to kill you and your brothers. Our, _my_ Grand Masters heard about the Templar presence on that island. It was uncharted, so it was the perfect place. Nobody would come looking.” Shego looked a bit startled by the notion. “Don’t look so surprised, Shego. The Brotherhood knows well of the Gould Family, how prestigious you all are. We thought that if we could get rid of you, the Templar Order would be significantly weakened, and we’d be able to smoke Laureano out.” Kim mumbled, voice dropping to a deep growl. “But we failed. _I_ failed. I underestimated you, as did my colleagues.” her head had begun to hang in disappointment. Shego, however, held her head high, chin upturned in authority.

“You understand that your actions will get you killed? You attacked a Templar Dignitary and threatened a Grand Master. I cannot begin to tell you how deep your grave will be, Kimberly.” she sighed, chin falling and eyes once more full of pity. She pivoted on her heel and headed to the door, but not before she kicked the blade to Kim’s knees. The Assassin stared at her curiously.

“They will remove everything from this room for cleaning tonight. Hide it.” growled Shego, her hands folded neatly behind her back. Kim didn’t need to be told twice, her armoured knee coming up and over the knife. She dragged it behind her, pressing it to the wall and under her legs. With a smirk, Shego stepped out of the room and slammed the door shut behind her, leaving Kim to sit in silence.

 

Shego found herself outside Laureano’s office, her heart beating furiously behind her ribs. She never did like to be called to his quarters, it was never under good terms- whatever _good_ could be classified as, that is.

With a deep breath, gloved fingers balled and wrapped against the door, knuckles cracking gently on the stained wood. When no response came, Shego twisted the door handle and entered, bowing her head to the Grand Master. He was sitting behind his massive desk, glasses perched on his nose and papers strewn along the wood’s surface. It was strange to see him like this, busy with something other than torture, Shego mused.

“Shea, sit down.” Laureano ordered, never looking up from the documents settled before his wrinkled face. Shego was not to be fooled, however. The man may look old, but she knew better.

Her footsteps were silent as she neared the only seat in the room, other than Laureano’s. It was lavishly made. Fine silks, smooth red leather, and gold bolts held it together. She felt unworthy to even touch it, let alone sit in it. But, she’d do as she was told.

“Ms. Gould, I’ve got word from two of our naval forts about an _Assassin ship_ heading in this direction. Do you have any idea why that is?” asked Laureano, his voice cold and threatening. Shego gulped quietly, stifling a sigh. Of course they were following.

“I’m afraid I ran into trouble on my way here, perhaps it is the same ship that I encountered.” she said, bowing her head. The man finally looked up from his papers, staring Shego down. He glared at her, pushing away from his desk and rising to his feet. He approached Shego slowly, making his presence known with each quiet step.

“You disappoint, Shea. You mean to tell me you were unable to apprehend a small Assassin barque? You, an elite Templar? I do not understand, Ms. Gould. I had believed I’d trained you better than that.” mumbled the man, his old and greyed face twisted into a scowl. He ran a hand through Shego’s silken tresses, tugging at the pony tail in the back. She had to resist the urge to pull away.

“Look, I’m not going to say this again, so listen well.” Laureano growled, taking a fistful of Shego’s hair and yanking her head back. Her neck was bare to the sunlight that swam through the large bay window to her front, her teeth bared in a snarling wince. Laureano smirked. “If you ever make another slip up, such as this, ever again, I will have Amber hanged in the town square. Do you understand?” he didn’t wait for an answer and released Shego’s hair, letting her head fall back into place. She rubbed her throat where the muscles began to stretch before rubbing her scalp, soothing the pain in her skin. She nodded and watched Laureano move back to his seat, plopping down and returning to his work. Without another word, the woman left, shutting the door gently behind her.

“Motherfucker.” she growled, stalking away from the door and down the carpeted hallways. She eventually found herself in the courtyard, her feet planted firmly in the center of the sparring grounds. Off to the side were polished rapiers. She went to pick one up, examining its edge before giving it a few test swings. She’d missed her blade from the island, the one the Assassins still had, but it would have to do. She grabbed its scabbard and belted it around her waist, letting the sheath tap her thigh gently. The weight wasn’t familiar, but it felt nice nonetheless.

“Sis!” a voice called. Shego looked up and couldn’t help but smile. Warren was racing towards her, arms outstretched and dagger clanging at his side. He flew into her arms, diving into a massive hug that almost crushed his ribs. “Sis, I gotta breathe!” he screeched, trying to push out of Shego’s grip. She chuckled and rubbed her knuckles into his scalp, tussling his dark brown hair. Red hands came up in defense but Warren couldn’t help but squeal in entertainment; after all, what ten year old didn’t love his big, protective sister?

“Warren, where’s the others? Are they in the barracks?” asked Shego as she cast a skirting glance over the courtyard. Warren shook his head and took in a deep breath to cease his laughing.

“Henry is with William. They’re with Amber.” Shego melted at the mere mentioning of that name. “Marvin is in the training room. Probably staring at himself in the mirror, that one.” he smiled, looking towards one of the stone towers. Shego didn’t bother looking, Warren was probably right. The man always did love the idea of himself.

She looked down at the boy, tussling his short hair once more before turning towards the barracks. “Get Marvin and meet up with the others. Don’t leave until I’ve arrived!” she called back, watching the young boy wave frantically before racing off, leaving the fort just as fast he’d came. It made Shego smile, the way her brothers were always so energetic- and obedient. She’d missed them on her ship ride back, though there was no need to think on it any longer, seeing how she’d safely returned. But she felt saddened nonetheless. Shego knew what she was going to do was surely going to cause her brothers- Amber- a bit of distress. But it was better this way, she decided.

Shego had been troubled from the moment she met Kim. She had a soft spot for the girl, even if the Assassin _had_ tried to kill her. Shego wouldn’t tell her that, or her brothers, but they’d find out soon enough. Once she went through with her plans, there would be no turning back.

A small sigh escaped her black lips. This was such a stupid idea.

  


The moon had crested over the fort, bathing it in the soft white glow. It permeated the lain stone, illuminating the darkest of halls with it’s brilliant light. Kim too was washed in the illumination, her skin pale under the moon’s soft, lulling gaze. She almost felt tired enough to rest, but she knew better. She’d pretended to sleep when Templar Officers flooded the cell, taking every device, every scrap, every tool from the room for cleaning. She’d watched them take the whip, sighing contentedly through her feigned slumber. Kim was glad to see it go.

It was only a few minutes after the party left when she heard the scuffle outside. Metallic clangs littered the hallway as bodies crumpled to the floor, the cell door creaking open, tantalizingly slow. The shadowy figure entered the room, crouched down in the darkness, but even then Kim knew who it was.

Silently, Shego neared the bound Assassin, hands reaching out and making quick work of the cuffs. Kim fell to the floor instinctively, hands pressed to the cold cobble. “Why are you doing this?” she asked, staring at the brilliant green eyes before her.

“I do not wish a fate such as yours. I can’t share the beliefs of the Templar Order and won’t stomach it any longer. I need you to flee this place, leave no trace that you’d ever been here.” Shego whispered, voice just above a mere breath. “But I need your help first. Do you trust me?” asked the Templar, her eyes sharp with purpose. Kim wordlessly nodded, taking the dagger from the floor. She held it in her palm, testing its weight in her fingers. “Then I’ll need you to do exactly as I say.” she finished, turning to the metal bars that served as a window, the cool night breeze wafting through.

“We’re in the Northern tower, by the ocean. We’ll need to cross the courtyard without being seen. I will not kill anyone, but I won’t stop you from doing any different.” she mumbled, staring out of the slots between the rusted steel bars with a grimace. That word left a bad taste in her mouth, _kill_. “There are guards everywhere, and there is no cover in the yard.” added Shego, her eyes narrowed in a scowl. Kim looked at her silently, listening carefully.

“Is there any other way out?” asked Kim, her fist gripping the blade tightly. She missed her bow and wrist blade, but this would have to do. “I mean, it’s not like we can take out a whole Templar bracket.” she mumbled, nearing the woman. She was close enough to smell the lavender on Shego’s skin. She took a deep breath, resisting a moan that surged into her throat. Kim examined the woman’s face. Though it was drawn into a tight frown, she admired the beauty in Shego’s appearance.

“Not unless you want to drown.” Shego’s voice tore into the murky quiet, her hand pressed against the wall as she peered out. “We could probably scale the Eastern tower and get a good vantage point after we take out the guards posted there.” the Templar huffed, moving away from the bars. Kim watched Shego turn back to the shackles, ripping them from the wall. The floor was showered in bits of broken stone and severed chain, pelting the woman’s black boots in a dusty grey. Shego took the chains and wrapped them around the rusted bars before looping through both ends of the gate. Her hand wrapped tightly around one end of the chain while the other held it out to Kim. The Assassin took it with a nod and prepared to pull.

“On the count of three. One… two… three!” Shego bit, muscles tightening as she yanked the chain inwards. The metal bent inwards and more stone chiseled away from the wall to fall onto the floor. “One more time. One… two…” Kim examined the look of determination on Shego’s face as they prepared for another pull. “Three!”

They both tugged as hard as they could and the metal bars began to whine. With a sudden pop, the gate flew inward and Shego dropped the chain, moving in front of the barred hatch. It fell into her grip and she set it on the ground, backing away from the hole. Without a word she darted forward and leapt through the gap, rolling out onto the dirt on the other side. Kim sucked in a breath and did the same, barely squeezing through before slamming painfully hard into the dirt, unprepared for her descent.

They crouched down beside each other, both staring up at the tower where they could see a handful of idle guards standing by, bayonet-rifles hoisted over their shoulders. The steel shimmered under the moonlight, glimmering with each patrolling swivel.

The Assassin watched Shego leap from the shadows and onto the jagged wall, clawed nails digging into the stone like hooks. She scaled the wall in seconds, jumping from perch to perch, swinging pole to pole until she finally flipped over the wall’s edge, landing on the walkway above. It took Kim a moment to realize she hadn’t moved since they’d gotten out of the cell, she hadn’t even thought to follow. She clenched and unclenched her fists before clambering onto the lain bricks, finding purchase on the loose cobble. She had to test some of the bricks before moving on them, much more careful than the Templar had been. But, she made it up nonetheless, slipping over the edge and crouching down beside a patient Shego. The woman looked Kim over before gesturing to move on, the two stalking down the fortress wall. They stopped every now and then when a guard turned to look their way, unaware of their presence just a few yards back. The green-skinned woman peered over a drum of gunpowder, green eyes glowing in the dark.

“There’s five snipers. On my signal, rush the furthest one. Got it?” she asked, her voice no higher than a breathy whisper. Kim nodded and took Shego’s place behind the barrel, letting the woman move from their cover and into the light. Her footfalls were silent as she rushed the closest Templar, her fist balled in preparation. He didn’t know what hit him when Shego’s fist collided with his temple, nor did he make a noise when he fell into Shego’s arms, letting her drag his limp body behind a few crates. Kim waited patiently for Shego to call upon her, watching the way she neared another guard.

He turned, however, and quickly noted the danger. He screamed for his comrades, raising his rifle. “Now!” Shego hollered, her body flying forward to engage the man in combat. He fell just as quickly as the other, her mace of a hand crashing into his jaw and shattering the bone like it was fragile glass. Kim joined the skirmish, charging the man closest to the tower’s edge. She plowed into him, throwing his limp body over the railing to fall heavily to the lush ground hundreds of feet below. She was so occupied with the corpse’s descent that she failed to notice the last rifleman’s barrel aiming for her back. His shot would not fly true, however, as Shego’s booted foot swung into his side. His ribs cracked under the force and he cried out in pain, falling to a knee in agony while his hand came up to his bruised chest, eyes wide as he stared his superior in the face. Shego would not meet his gaze regardless, her gloved fist raining down on his skull in a swift blow. He collapsed to the stone with a hard thud, a small river of blood streaming from a minor gash on his forehead.

“Done and done. Let’s go, I’m sure we’ve been noticed by now.” the woman spat, rolling her shoulders with a quick glance of the fort. Sure enough, sirens began to blare and guards were rushing out of the barracks, some still pulling on their drawers as they handled their rifles and brandished their blades. It amused her really. They were trying to hunt down the very one who trained them. How ironic, she mused.

“Take that rifle,” Shego barked, regarding how quickly Kim followed orders. “Do what you must, I’m going to raise the gate.” Kim nodded with a huff, her gun steadied. She peered down the sights, staring intently on the door at the end of the walkway. It had yet to be busted down, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be too much longer. A rifle cracked off somewhere below, the bullet crashing into the thick stone at Kim’s side, showering her with debris. It did nothing to relinquish her focus on the door.

Shego quickly got to work on the heavy crank, her teeth clenched as she forced the gate to rise. The chains were rusted over, the orange corrosion dusting off with each pass of the crank. “Come on damn it.” she growled, forcing the lever to rotate more. The gate slowly rose from the dirt, cracked soil crusted onto the thick metal spires that hung above the indents in the ground.

“Shego, we’ve got company.” Kim sighed, finger pulling the sensitive trigger. The rifle fired off towards the door, hitting a Templar that had pushed through. One by one, guards filed through the door across the fort, swords swinging wildly and guns leveled on their position. Shego cursed loudly as a bullet embedded in the rail beside her, white stone raining down. “I’m almost out of bullets, Shego! Hurry up!” Kim shouted, the green-skinned woman growling in response.

“It’s open enough. Come on!” Shego didn’t wait for Kim to move. Her fingers wrapped around the Assassin’s arm and pulled her away, bringing the both of them to the edge. They peered over the edge into the courtyard below, a mound of swept leaves and hay sitting stiffly on the ground beneath them.

“You’re joking.” Shego demanded, letting Kim climb onto the edge of the tower. The Assassin dove off the ledge and fell down to the ground below. Shego had to avert her gaze, listening for the loud crack of bone against dirt, but all that followed was Kim's bellowing voice.

“Damn it Shego! Jump!” Kim screamed, her body ducked behind a few crates by the mound. Shego sucked in a deep breath and prepared to leap, her feet planted firmly on the ledge. With her slow exhale, she jumped, diving downwards and into the hay stack. It took the brunt of her fall, leaving her with only a dull ache in her side. Though, she had little time to think over it as Kim’s hand dove into the stack, grasping at Shego’s coat and pulling her out. “Run!” the redhead shouted, turning tail and racing for the gate. It was only off the ground by a few feet, but that was all they needed. Shego bounded after Kim, dust flying up under their heels as they slid under the metal, faces just a foot or so away from the spikes.

Shego was the first to rise from their act, taking Kim by the hand and yanking her to her feet. “Let’s go!” she ordered, feeling the shock of a bullet plowing into the dirt at her leg. Snipers had perched themselves on the towers, taking aim and firing endlessly at the two as they ran from the base, the fortified walls a fading image of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! If it seems like I'm not heeding advice from comments, it is quite possible I just haven't visited this work in a while. My apologies, and I'll try to make any revisions needed at a later date. Have a great day!
> 
> By the by, for those of you accustomed to Black Flag's geography, I wanted Long Bay to be more than a beach and a bit of rock. I also painted Charlotte as both a fort and a naval base, rather than just the latter. Hope this doesn't throw anybody off.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> N/A

The two finally stopped for breath a few miles from Charlotte, their chests heaving and legs shaking. Kim looked at Shego, and Shego looked at Kim, both examining the other for wounds.

“Are you hurt?” asked Kim, voice jumbled with worry. Shego just chuckled breathlessly, hunched over as she fought to breathe. The woman shook her head, sucking in air.

“I’m fine. You?” she asked, Kim doing the same. Shego nodded in acknowledgment and took a look around. “We’re close to the docks. My home is a few miles inland, up towards the mountains.” she breathed, looking over Kim’s head to the dark silhouettes of gargantuan mountain peaks. The tips were coated with a white blanket, regardless of how warm the Caribbean was.

Kim followed her gaze and she whimpered, rubbing her thighs. “I think I pulled something.” she grumbled, feeling the knotted muscles. Shego seemed relatively fine in contrast. She stood tall and eyed the peaks, her gaze drifting down the miles upon miles of quiet buildings. She lingered on the National Guard stronghold somewhere in the mix, staring at it darkly; they’d have to pass the fortress on their way.

God, she hated those damn imperialistic pricks, even if they left The Order to carry out their work. The guards always had a sense of undeserved pride about them, like they were supposed to be revered as legends by the people when they killed just as much as the Templars. Shego could recall the countless times The Order had bribed those weak bastards to look the other way, how easily they’d been swayed from their duties to let a crime slip on by. She’d seen her fair share of scum- she’d even been a big player in a few select crimes- but the National Guard had always reserved a spot on her list for the worst of the worst.

“Shego?... Shego? Hey,” Kim’s quiet voice pulled the Templar from her thought and she shook herself back into reality, watching the way Kim’s hand waved in front of her face. “Thought I lost you there. So, what now?” she asked, looking about. They were close enough to the ocean for the sea breeze to waft into her nostrils, burning the nerves behind her eyes.

“We start walking, I suppose.” the woman shrugged, leading onwards. Kim huffed but followed nonetheless, tailing the green-skinned Templar through the quiet city.

 

His ragged roar echoed off the stone walls, knocking down vases and disorientating paintings. “What do you _mean_ they’ve escaped!?” Laureano’s face was contorted with a seething rage and his jaw was clenched tight. His teeth might’ve tried to shatter had he not opened his mouth to speak.

“I’m sorry sir, the prisoner and Ms. Gould have escaped the compound. They’ve vanished.” the poor sap had almost soiled his trousers when he’d been picked for the job of messenger. He was just a simple recruit, transferred here just two days prior, and he was sure he wouldn’t survive the night. “We’ve checked the fort for the others as well. They’re nowhere to be found.” the man bowed his head, fearful of the Grand Master’s fury.

“Find them. Find _all_ of them!” screeched Laureano, his voice shrill and dripping with venom. He stomped away from his desk and parked himself in front of the hapless recruit, bearing down on the unlucky boy’s trembling form. “And when you do, bring them to me. I’m going to make an example of the Goulds.” he growled, shoving the man back by the shoulders. He reeled into the door, the wood splintering as the hinges snapped off. The recruit spent little time nursing his injuries and raced to his feet, scampering away.

“And send someone to fix this blasted door!” he called, palms bleeding where his manicured nails were digging into his flesh. He tried to level his breathing, to calm the pit of rage brewing in his gut like a bonfire, but it was little use. He stared out to the city of Long Bay, staring at the thousands of homes, shops, and everything in between. He lingered over the National Guard stronghold positioned in the centre of his great city, a scowl tearing into his already angry face. Maybe he’d pay them to assist in the retrieval of the Goulds, if he found the time.

Laureano sighed and turned back to his desk, tugging open a small drawer. A small dagger sat in its depths, the golden handle bearing the Templar cross as a pommel. He settled the knife in his hand, the other testing the edge with a bare thumb. It sliced off a bit of his finger, the blood spilling happily onto the steel blade. The Templar Dirk fit snuggly in his palm and it cried to be used, to taste the blood of Laureano’s enemies.

“I will make an example of those pitiful brats, starting with you,” he began, glancing out the large window. “My dear Shea.” He cackled maniacally, arms outstretched in a grandeur gesture. Shego was the final straw; Laureano had finally begun to go mad.

 

“Are you sure your brothers haven’t been captured by now?” Kim asked suddenly, breaking the silence of their walk. They’d been moving for hours, long after the sun had begun to rise. Kim was so tired and her muscles screamed for a break, but she wouldn’t stop until Shego did. She couldn’t, not if she wanted to survive.

“They know better than to ignore my requests, and The Order doesn’t know where I live. Well, where my home is, anyway.” Shego answered, ambling alongside the Assassin. She eyed Kim carefully, the woman was exhausted. “It will take them a while to figure it out, so I reckon it’s a safe bet that they’re fine.” she added, tossing in a brief shrug. Kim accepted it as her answer and they pressed on, finally nearing the base of the mountain hours after their escape. Their surroundings had shifted from a city to a more rural-esk nature a few miles back, the homes here shrouded by trees and shrubs. Their shadows cast a beautiful blackness over the lush, green grasslands where the city had yet to truly expand. “It’s one of these houses.” Shego mumbled, glancing at each building they neared.

“ _Houses_? You mean manors?” Kim stared at each passing building, each much bigger than any home she’d ever seen. It stupefied her, to say the least. Her eyes skewed about, taking in details like a sponge to water. So, when she skimmed over Shego’s scouring face, she had to take a moment. “Wait, do you even know which one is yours?” asked Kim, dumbfounded by the mere thought of it. To not know where you lived was far beyond her.

“I told you, I don’t really live there. I spend most of my time overseas, or at Charlotte. I don’t have time to return here on my free time, because I never used to have any.” Shego grumbled, examining each home closely. She perked up, however, when she landed on a particularly large manor, it’s perimeter fortified with a short, wooden fence. Without a word, the woman led on to her home, hopping over the small fence and into the beautiful yard. Flowers of all colours littered the grass, protruding from the ground like brilliant fireworks of nature. Kim even bent down to nurse one in her fingers, taking a deep sniff. She sighed with a smile, it smelled like the ones her mother used to grow.

Kim remembered her mother and father, still living in The Great Inagua back home. Kenway had given them a beautiful home when Kim joined the Brotherhood, even granting them their own ships and imports. They had a lavish life, but they no doubt missed Kim every day. Her mother and father would tell her how much they’d missed her when she would return from a mission, mulling over the details with a beautifully made meal. She missed them; she missed her creed. They were probably still looking for her, Edward not even considering her death a possibility. And Kyle, how was he taking it? Kim felt her heart sink a bit. She remembered his happy face and imagined it creased with a permanent scowl, his stupid jokes falling flat in his mind. “Kyle…” she whispered, rubbing her fingers together. It was a habit of hers, something she did when she worried.

“Hey.” Shego’s soft voice pulled Kim from her thoughts, bringing her to look in those emerald pools. They were marbled with worry, her lips downturned into a frown. “I want to talk to you, before I get you out of Long Bay. Can you promise me that chance?” asked Shego, her tone quiet and imploring. Kim nodded and pulled away from their interaction, instead focusing on the door that threw itself open and the girl that emerged from it.

“Momma!” the girl cried with a grin, her eyes wide and smile large enough to split her face from ear to ear.

Shego instantly turned and dropped to her knee, holding her arms out wide. Behind the girl, Warren and William quickly followed, legs carrying them as fast as they could.

“Amber, sweetheart,” Shego cooed, grunting as she was forced back by the little girl. Amber dove into the Templar, taking her to the ground where she latched onto Shego’s neck, refusing to let go.

“Momma! I’m so happy you’re home!” the girl squealed, her long black hair swishing over her back. Kim watched with wide and baffled eyes; Shego had a daughter? The girl squeezed as hard as she could, ignoring her uncles as they sought to catch up.

“Sorry sis.” said Warren. He rubbed the back of his head, looking to William. “She saw you through the window and there was no stopping her.” he mumbled, looking down at their big sister. Shego was laughing, tickling Amber furiously.

“Did you behave with your uncles?” she asked, the girl giggling madly. Amber tried to nod but she couldn’t stop laughing, her arms flailing to try to squirm away. Shego ceased her onslaught and stood to her feet, helping Amber to hers. They took in a few breaths and faced the twins, smiles bright.

“Are Henry and Marvin here?” she asked. She tried to look through the large windows, but the sunlight just stared back.

“Yeah, they’re eating breakfast.” said William, his face bright. Shego took Amber’s hand and lead the four to the building, Kim following in tow. She examined Shego and the girl, still utterly dumbfounded by the discovery. Shego had a kid. Who’d guess it?

They shuffled into the manor to find the two eldest brothers seated at the dinner table, each shoveling food into their mouths. Marvin was the first to notice Shego’s presence and dove from his seat, engulfing the woman in a tight hug.

“Little brother, how are you? Taking a break from that damn mirror?” she teased, ruffling his short, black hair. Shego glanced at her older brother, Henry, as he snickered and yanked a hand held mirror off the table.

“Only for you, sis.” he smirked, tossing the glass towards the two. Marvin yelped and raced away from Shego to catch the falling decor, wrapping his arms around it before it could hit the ground. “Where were you? When Warren told us you wanted us to stay here, we got a little worried. Is everything alright?” Henry asked, his voice hushed to steer away from Amber’s curious ears.

“What are you talking about, Momma?” asked Amber, her bright, hazel eyes peering up at Shego with an intense interest. She watched the Templar turn away from Henry and crouch down, thumbing her cheek with a smile.

“How about you go play with her,” Shego said, looking at Kim. Amber’s smile flourished and she nodded gleefully, skipping over to the Assassin. Kim stared down at the girl who stared back, her brown eyes full of wonder.

“Momma says I should play with you. Wanna play hide and seek?” Amber asked, her high-pitched voice making Kim smile warm-heartedly. She nodded and took Amber by the hand, leading her out to the yard. Shego watched the two through the window for a moment, smiling when Kim covered her eyes and counted down slowly.

“Shea, what is going on?” Henry asked again, requesting her attention. She turned away from the scene and looked to her brothers, each of which was staring intently at Kim. “Why is she here? How did she escape?” Henry gave her a pointed look, demanding she answer. Shego had to sigh quietly, pulling their attention back to their conversation.

“You need to leave Long Bay, all of you. The Order is looking for us.” Shego barked, leaning on the table. The twins had since retreated behind Henry and marvin, all four staring at her intensely.

“What do you mean ‘looking for us’? What did you do?” asked Marvin, his eyes wide as he suspected the answer. Shego glanced back at Kim, watching her laugh with Amber. The brothers, on the other hand, stared Shego down, bearing upon her with their question.

“I broke Kim out of her cell.” she answered, holding a finger up to Henry as he tried to interrupt. “Laureano threatened to kill Amber. You know as well as I that a threat of his is nothing less than a promise.” she snapped, clenching a fist.

“Why did you have to break the Assassin out!?” yelled Henry, his voice booming. A bit of dining ware trembled in the cabinets on the walls, shaking with the vibrations. He had stood to his feet, bearing down on Shego. She looked up at him, disinterested.

“I needed someone I could trust, to make sure Amber would live safely when she was out of Long Bay. I can’t trust her with you,” she started, her hands gripping the table. “The Order is looking for you and if they got a hold of her…” Shego trailed off, watching the anger grow in her brother’s face.

“She’s an Assassin! She tried to _kill_ you! Why on Earth would you trust her!? Why should we!?.. Why should Amber?” he growled, slamming a mighty fist into the wooden table. It cracked under the force, sending a web of splintering down the length of the table-top. Shego’s expression turned hellishly dark and she stood straight, pressing a clawed finger to Henry’s chest. The glove’s tip had been shredded by her nails and the claws had poked through, digging into the man’s skin.

“I said I trust her. _That is enough_.” she snarled, baring ferocious canines. They’d learned Shego was not to be trifled with, and her word was solid. To see Henry testing it was beyond infuriating.

Henry’s face softened a bit and he stood down, taking a step back and looking into his sister’s eyes. “Fine. But I’ll be keeping an eye on her, protecting your back.” he huffed, crossing his burly arms. The two glanced away from each other and saw the other three bowed respectfully, quiet and without interruption.

“Marvin, William, Warren, I want all of you to gather whatever you need and get outside. I’ll pack up a few things and we can head out.” said Shego, her voice stern and demanding. They took little time to begin moving, the three heading up the stairs and into different rooms. They had their own living spaces since the time of purchase, even if nobody really tended to them. Shego remembered insisting they keep a few things here. Pictures, keepsakes, anything they couldn’t live without.

Henry didn’t move from the dining room, his gaze locked on Shego’s face. “Where are we going?” he asked, arms crossed. Shego sighed and began to move up the stairs, listening to his thundering steps as he followed.

“The Great Inagua.” she answered nonchalantly, her fingers wrapping around the handle to Amber’s room. She stalked inside and began to pull things from the bed and walls, stuffing them into a knapsack. Stuffed animals, pictures, her blanket, and more were forced into the oversized pack, the drawstrings pulled taut when she felt she’d taken enough.

“The Pirate Island? Why?” Henry asked, raising his brow. Shego sighed and turned to face him, hoisting the heavy pack over her shoulder with little effort. “What could we possibly need there?” he persisted, following her down the hall. Shego threw open the door at the end of the hallway, waving away the dust that wafted up to her face. She didn’t bother turning on the light or moving the curtains; she already knew where her things were. In the corner on a dusty nightstand was a picture frame, the glass discoloured by time and neglect. The image was slightly faded and the picture corners were frayed, but it called to her. Shego lifted up the frame and sighed sadly before stuffing it alongside her daughter’s things.

“She’ll be safe there. No Templars, no National Guard, just pirates.” Shego murmured, exiting the room with Henry in tow. He stared at her, dumbfounded, and tried to muster words to his mouth. But they just wouldn’t come.

The two left the house to find everyone else outside, playing tag with Amber. Shego couldn’t help but smile and hoist her child onto her shoulders. Amber squealed and held onto Shego’s face, tugging on her hair to stay balanced. Kim watched the two with a grin as they began to leave the yard, Shego slipping gingerly over the fence while Amber clung to her body. Kim eventually began to fall back, settling alongside Marvin as they hung back from the others.

“She’s going to ask you something important before you leave.” he said suddenly, making Kim flinch. His voice was light, but he was to be taken seriously. He rose a brow, asking silently if he could continue.

“Her actions have left Amber in grave danger, but we knew it was going to happen one way or another. She’s been talking about abandoning the Templars for a while now, and we’ve all prepared for it.” he started to drift into thought, his forehead creasing into a frown. Kim eyed it curiously.

“What is she going to ask me?” Kim questioned, looking at the way the man’s shoulders simply deflated. It made her worry. She glanced up at the front of the group. Amber was now on the ground, hand in Shego’s and walking alongside the Twins. They formed a bit of a wall around her, encasing the child in a protective shield.

“Shea is going to ask that you take Amber away.” he whispered, eyes glossed over with unshed tears. He almost couldn’t bear the thought. Kim, however, had to stifle a annoying urge to yell, her eyes wide with shock.

“Why would she do that? Amber is her daughter. She’s not abandoning her, is she?” Kim asked, staring Marvin in the eyes. He shook his head and gestured towards his sister.

“Kimberly, she’s preparing for the inevitable. With The Order on her back, it won’t be long before they arrest and execute her for treason. She’s doing what any sane person would do: get her loved ones out of the way. If they got a hold of Amber…” he stopped to bite back a sob. He knew what Shego planned to do, all of them did. Everyone except Kim and Amber.

She was simply staggered by his words, letting them soak into her mind. Shego was planning on dying. That was it, wasn’t it?

“Kim,” Marvin pulled her out of thought. “I need you to promise me something.” he began, acknowledging Kim’s slow nod. “I need you to do it. I need you to do what Shea asks you to do, for all of our sakes. I don’t care where you go, just promise me you’ll keep Amber safe.” he began to cry, small tears swimming down his cheeks. They dripped onto his overcoat, darkening the fabric.

The Assassin began to fight with herself, torn between Shego’s eventual request and her own life. What would she do with a kid? A Templar’s kid. The Creed would have to accept Amber. That was the only way, she decided.

She turned to face Marvin, stopping him completely. She stared him in the eyes and bowed her head. “I promise.” she said, pressing a firm hand to her heart. The man seemed relieved and settled a hand on Kim’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

“She trusts you, Kim. Please don’t let her- _us_ \- down.” he pleaded, a small smile of thanks plastered on his purple lips. Kim nodded and turned back to the others, resuming their walk. They paced as a group through Long Bay, stalking through the quiet, morning streets. People began to fill the roads and Shego held Amber closer, leaving little space between her and the girl. It reminded Kim of when she was Shego’s captive; the way she’d protected the Assassin during their time together. She thought fondly about the ship ride she’d shared with the woman, remembering the way she’d kept Kim well fed, rested, and active even as a captive. Shego, this Shea, was a strange character.

“Kim, get up here.” Shego called, casting a look over her shoulder. The Assassin nodded and jogged to move up, slowing down at Shego’s side. “Take Amber’s hand.” she murmured, releasing the girl and pushing her small hand towards Kim. Amber giggled and took a vice grip on the redhead, her small fingers wrapped around Kim’s. The Assassin chuckled and gently swung their arms back and forth, making Amber laugh and squeal.

While her daughter was preoccupied, Shego ducked away, pushing onwards to the docks. She approached the Harbourmaster, standing tall above the uninterested man before her. He thumbed a ratty book, flipping a yellowed page before huffing through his nose. “What do ya want?” he asked, his tone deflated and rather bored. Shego glared at him but restrained herself nonetheless.

“I need to book passage to The Great Inagua. Is there anything available?” she asked, her voice stern but clearly forbearing. He looked up at Shego and flung his book to the ground, standing up straight and fixing his clothes.

“Ms. Gould! Oh m-my God… I’m so sorry Miss. Yes, y-yes there’s a barque taking some supplies there in a few minutes. You’d b-better hurry though, I think they’re about to push off.” he stammered, spittle flying from his frantic lips. He mustered a bow of his head and a direct gesture towards the ship in question. His eyes were glued to the woman’s boots, never daring to drift up to her stern scowl.

“Thank you. Now, chin up,” she started, watching his face slowly rise to meet her gaze. “Next time, think about what you’re going to say, _before_ you do it. Wouldn’t want to land yourself in hot water, now would we?” she bit, stalking away from the booth. She approached the barque, standing before the boardwalk.

“Oi, what do you want, Ms. Gould?” a man called down- likely the captain. Shego folded her hands neatly behind her back, looking over the railing to the older gentleman. His greyed hair and empty eye socket called for her attention, but she wouldn’t stare.

“I need to send a few Dignitaries to the Pirate Island, can you help me?” she asked, her black hair flying over her shoulders with the gentle sea breeze. The captain eyed her suspiciously as the others appeared behind her, crowding around the ship’s hull. He examined Kim and Amber closely, staring at the Assassin’s crest on her belt.

“Were you followed?” asked the captain, his voice a low and worrisome volume. Shego shook her head, patiently waiting for him to finish scanning the span of the docks. “It’s risky work taking a member of the Brotherhood on board… How much you payin’?” he spat, resting a sun-spotted hand on the rail. A fine, black eyebrow rose at his tone. Assassin or not, Kim was getting on that ship.

“A grand and we’ll keep out of the way.” she called, tugging at her belt. A large pouch sat snugly on the leather, jingling with coins. His eyes lit up when he spotted the pouch, Shego could see the gears working in his head.

“Fine. But you keep yer heads down, and don’t be startin’ any trouble. I don’t need The Order on my back, y'hear?” he barked, gesturing for them to move along. Kim handed Amber over to Marvin who carried her up the heavy plank, followed closely by the Twins and Henry. Kim was going to pursue when Shego clutched her sleeve, tugging her back onto the docks.

“Kim, I need to speak with you,” the green-skinned woman mumbled, her eyes downcast. She fought to speak, to continue, but she had to. She tried to meet Kim’s face but it wouldn’t work, she’d stare at the wood beneath her feet.

“You’re not coming with us, are you.” It wasn’t a question that spewed from Kim’s pink lips, her olive pools hazy with despair. Shego shook her head slowly, sucking in a deep breath and forcing her to consider Kim’s saddened expression.

Her black lips wanted to tremble and quake with the words she meant to speak, it tore her to pieces. “I need you to take Amber far away from here. The Order will not stop… Laureano will not stop until I’m dead. He will kill her, and my brothers. I can stall them, if need be, but I can’t let The Order catch them, or you.” she whispered. Shego’s guilty gaze settled briefly on Amber, drifting to her brothers. She saw the twins, how they would laugh with her daughter. She saw Henry and Marvin watching over them, lulling behind like protective parents. She suspected they knew she wouldn’t be coming with them, but thinking about it only made it all that more real. A lone tear dripped down her cheek, dropping from her chin and onto the docks.

“Come with us. You’ll be safe from those bastards in The Great Inagua. My Brotherhood rules there, I can convince them to let you stay. Amber needs her mother, just like your brothers need their sister.” Kim protested, quiet and hopeful. Shego couldn’t leave them now, not after all the things she did. The Assassin hated to admit it, but she’d grown a soft spot for the Templar. There was no way she’d let her stay behind.

“I can’t, Kim. It’s just not-” the resonating crack of gunfire shocked the two mid sentence, forcing them to duck down. Shego looked instantly up to the boat where her brothers had ducked down, taking Amber with them.

“What the hell?” Kim yelped, trying to peer over the stack of fishing crates. Their attackers were none other than the National Guard, their rifles leveled on their position. “Why are they shooting at us?” she asked, confusion swimming in the back of her mind.

“Damn soldiers. Laureano must’ve bribed them. Get on the ship,” Shego growled, unsheathing her sword. It felt wrong in her hand, but she’d use it if she had to. “I’ll join you if I can.” she finished. Kim felt paralyzed in place when Shego rose from cover, brandishing her blade and charging the guards. She heard the clang of metal and the screams of men, the smell of gunpowder heavy in the air.

“Kim!” a man shouted. She glanced back at the ship where Henry was calling for her, his face twisted into a panicked snarl. Her feet moved on their own accord, carrying her up the plank and onto the deck where she resumed cover behind the barque rails. Amber was beside her, ears covered tightly by Marvin. He looked at Kim worriedly, chest heaving in alarm. A bit of debris showered her shoulder as a bullet tore through the wood, clicking onto the deck.

Then, in a sudden jerk of movement, the ship began to surge forward. Kim stared up at the open sails, the wind pulling it along and off the shore. She felt a deep consternation, seeing no trace of Shego on the ship. Her eyes searched anxiously for the woman, finding nothing but a frightened crew and a few bullet holes.

She peeked over the railing to see the boardwalk splashing into the water, Shego kicking it into the ocean. The guards rushed her and she focused on their charge, throwing them into the water. She roared mightily and leapt over the group, rolling upon impact and rising to her feet. She kept looking between the disorientated men and the departing ship, blade hung limply in her hand. Shego gnashed her teeth as she fought herself, forcing her hand. Suddenly, she chose. Her blade was sheathed and her feet were a blur, carrying her along the dock’s length. The barque was quickly moving away, reaching the end of the planks. “Come on.” she snarled, racing after the ship. Kim had risen, staring at the woman as she ran, nearing the edge.

“You can do it…” Kim whispered, clutching the rail. The Templar, as if she’d heard Kim’s anxious encouragement, hopped onto an oil drum and propelled herself into the air. Kim heard the loud thud as Shego’s body hit the hull, grasping onto the ridges for fear of falling into the water.

“Help me up, damn it!” she hollered, eyes set ablaze with adrenaline. The Assassin snapped out of her stupor and dove for the back end of the ship, peering over the edge. Shego was clinging onto a protruding piece of decor, the wooden trim keeping her from plunging into the ocean. Kim reached over the rail to take a firm hold on Shego’s gloved hands, tugging her onto the deck, both breathing raggedly with panic. The woman was heaving, hand pressed roughly to her thigh from where a steady river of red began to pour. Kim tugged her hand away, examining the wound. Shego suffered a moderate slash in her right thigh, the skin swollen beneath the tattered cloth and bleeding profusely.

“Are you alright? Can you walk?” Kim asked, offering a hand to the Templar. Shego gratefully took it and stood, her balance a bit wobbly. Shego nodded, sucking in a short breath when she walked.

“Momma!” Amber cried, darting out of Marvin’s hands. Her little fingers wrapped around Shego’s calf, holding onto her boot. Shego chuckled quietly, reaching down with an open hand.

“I’m fine, sweetheart. Are you alright?” she asked, touching her daughter’s caramel cheek. Amber nodded with a sniffle, wiping her nose on her sleeve. Kim hummed lightly in her throat and lifted Amber into her arms, hoisting her onto shaky shoulders. “Amber, I need you to go play with Kim in the lower deck. Momma has to speak with your uncles.” she smiled, tussling Amber’s black hair and letting the Assassin carry her below deck.

“A word, Shea?” Marvin interrupted, stepping forth for her attention. Shego frowned at him for a moment, but eased herself nonetheless. She had to stifle her pride if she ever wanted to apologize.

“I’m sorry, to all of you, for being so reckless. It is my fault we can no longer return to our home in Long Bay, and for that, I apologize.” she grumbled, her fingers busy at her wound. She took the gloves off her hands and tossed them to the floor, using her bare fingers to prod at the injury. Blood stained her skin and soaked her trousers, the usual inky black a dark red. She sighed at the sight, though the feeling wasn’t much better. The soaked threads stuck to her wound like glue, touching the nerves and tugging back.

The purple male took note of her pain and looped an arm under her back, helping her sit on the steps of the quarter-deck. She winced a little, hissing when they moved too fast. “Any gauze around here?” Marvin called out, looking at the shaken captain. He grumbled something insulting and stomped down the steps to the lower deck, returning a moment later with a bit of medicine and a roll of bandages. He held them out to Shego who took them with a quiet thanks, wrapping them tightly around the wound. Marvin took the medicine and waited for Shego to give it thought, watching her mumble irritatedly and slam the small vile.

“Do not apologize, sis. The Order has grown reckless for a while now, it was only a matter of time before someone made a move.” he shrugged, looking at Henry for confirmation. Even with his scowl, the burly man nodded in concurrence. Shego gave them a weak smile and leaned back on the steps.

“William, Warren, is there something you’d like to add?” asked Marvin. The twins shrugged in unison, nearing Shego. They gave her a quick hug from either side, letting her ruffle their hair. They shrank back with a laugh or two and smoothed back their locks, looking at their siblings.

“We know you’ll protect us, all of you. You did what you thought was right and that’s enough for me. Brother?” William glanced at Warren and he nodded, standing close beside his twin. “Besides, you’re our big sister. We’ll do whatever you say anyway.” shrugged Warren, his smile bright.

Shego couldn’t help the smile that split her face, stretching ear to ear. “I fucking love you guys.” she laughed, inviting the others to join. They shared a short chuckle as a group before Shego forced herself to her feet. She stood in one place for a moment, regaining her balance, before she began to move towards the bowsprit. The open ocean welcomed them warmly, the docks behind them a fading image in the ocean mist. They’d escaped, mostly unscathed.

“We’re safe…” murmured Shego, her eyes narrowed to scan the vast ocean surface. An image of Laureano flashed behind her eyes for a moment, causing her to flinch and shake her head, a hand coming up to rub her temple.

“For now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter than the others. I tried to keep it around 6k words per chapter, though this one is about 5.6k instead. The following chapter was too big a shift for me to keep it bunched together, hence why this chapter was a bit shorter. Hopefully I'll manage to lengthen future posts.


	4. Chapter Four

Blood dripped lazily from the sword’s polished edge, sliding down the length of the fuller and onto the tip where it pooled into heinous droplets of crimson. Her eyes held little life in them, so empty. So void. They voiced a quiet terror, something that asked the onlooker to avert their gaze. But Kim could only stare into those dying orbs, screaming and hoping to latch onto the stagnant emeralds that once held great vitality. She paid Laureano little mind, fixed entirely on the schiavona protruding from Shego’s chest. The metal glimmered with a brilliant red, bloodened by the wound and dripping still.

“Shea!” she cried, paralyzed in shock. Kim could hear the screams of others, all a blended mass of sheer trepidation. She could vaguely hear Shego’s daughter crying out for her mother, she could almost see the child fighting her uncles to be freed. They sobbed and howled for Shego, Henry drawing his blade and Marvin steadying his firearm. Laureano didn’t seem to care, reveling in his strike. The weight of his protege hung heavily on the sword and he relished in the way the hilt nestled perfectly into the arch of Shego’s back, bloodied and reeking of death.

“This is what happens when you defy me! I shall make an example of all of you!” he bellowed, ripping the blade free. Shego’s body fell to the dirt, a pool of red drowning the grass and staining the dirt. Her eyes shut upon impact and her breath left her lungs, leaving her a limp corpse upon the ground. Kim was petrified. Her muscles trembled and her body quaked, utterly paralyzed and useless. The Assassin turned her gaze from the ground to Laureano’s wicked stare, his eyes demonic with rageful pleasure. He thrust the schiavona towards her, the point flicking blood across the ground. “You’re next, _Assassin_.”

  


“No!” shrieked Kim, hand clutching her chest firmly in horror. She felt her heart beating frantically in her chest, threatening to burst from her ribcage. Wide eyes scanned the room and her lungs sucked in air like she’d been holding an eternal breath, body trembling violently with each shaky inhale. She sighed, however, when she found Shego asleep in a hanging cot, Amber settled between her legs with her head resting on Shego’s bandaged thigh.

Kim sighed. “It was just a dream…” Pale lips pursed tightly together as she examined the woman just a short distance away. Shego’s face was soft and calm, so unlike her stony demeanor. Her lips were parted ever so slightly and her long, black hair swayed with the rocking of the ship, nearing the glossy deck with each slow pass. The Assassin became mesmerized by the sight, drinking in the other woman’s arrant beauty like she’d never been allowed even a drop of water. Her eyes travelled down the smooth definition of Shego’s face, illuminated by small cracks in the upper deck, to the silky curve of her licentious breasts. Her skin, coated with a sheen of sweat, had dampened the already thin shirt that hugged her torso, the cloth becoming translucent in opaqueness. Light, green skin showed through the fabric and Kim could tell quickly the woman wore nothing beneath.

Prominent peaks pushed upwards and the baggy shirt had loosened enough for a cold draft of air to swim under the parted halves. The curve of Shego’s breasts was not lost on the Assassin, most of their surfaces completely available for Kim’s unwavering eyes. Her dark nipples were barely hidden by the cloth, covered only by a few inches of loose fabric that clung helplessly to the rise of her chilled breasts. Kim had to stifle the urge to reveal them entirely, to rise from her cot and expose the tantalizing flesh to her curious and rather libidinous ogling. The Assassin sucked in a breath and watched Shego’s chest rise and fall, listening to the faint breathing that came from the sleeping woman. It captivated her. Kim’s hand, much to her dismay, began to drift down from the cot’s edge and into her lap, digging under her garb and into her covered sex, pressing gently into the warmth that pooled there.

She was disgusted by the act, and pleased by the sight, a meddle of thoughts shrouding her better judgement. Unable to stand the sight of that damn cloth, she shrugged off the hammock and onto the deck. Her silent feet carried her to the woman in slumber and her shaky hand reached out for the shirt’s front, cold fingers hooking under the edges and tugging them back, fridgid digits dragging along searing hot skin. Kim gasped as she robbed Shego’s breasts of the cloth, letting both sides fall over her arms and exposing her front fully. Kim drank in the sight, trailing down the woman’s throat to her navel and finally to the brim of her trousers, the black leathers hugging her hips as best they could. Fine musculature defined Shego’s front and smooth skin taunted her so. Kim frowned, however, when she spotted a fine scar running from the hollow of the woman’s throat to the crest of her shoulder, the line a silvery score on a perfect canvas. Light fingers traced the scar gently, following it slowly from end to end. What was the cause?

“Hmm…” she hummed, pink lips pulled into a thin line. But she had little time to ponder as Shego began to shift, a guttural groan seeping from her mouth. Kim shuffled back a bit and slipped back into bed, feeling a bit of guilt for having so wrongfully stripped Shego. But she wouldn’t risk waking the woman to fix her attire. What would she say? What _could_ she say?

“Damn it, Kimberly.” she chastised herself, balling a fist. “Just forget about it.” she grumbled. Kim laid back into the cot and turned away from the room, facing the wall. She eventually quenched the white hot urge betwixt her thighs and fell into a restless slumber, pictures of what could only be described as fantasy clouding her mind and plaguing her dreams.

  


“Oi! Wake up!” the captain snapped, tugging on Kim’s hammock and swinging it about. The bed eventually flipped and sent Kim flying to the floor, her body crashing with a loud thud into the wood. “We’ll be docking soon.” he mumbled. His yellowed teeth adjusted the pipe in his mouth with a loud click as he turned away, stomping up the steps with a devious smirk.

Kim glared in his direction but paid him little mind, dusting herself off and rising to her feet. Olive eyes glanced at Shego’s hammock and she sighed upon finding it empty. “Good.” she mumbled, chewing her lip. Further smoothing her outfit, Kim stalked up the steps, covering her eyes from the blinding sun that bore down upon her.

“Hey.”

Kim bristled instantly when she heard the voice, shoulders bunching and heart skipping a beat. In the corner of her eye, she could see Shego’s eyes digging into her like daggers, demanding her attention. “Yes?” Kim turned to face the woman, forcing herself to meet Shego’s gaze. The woman rose a fine eyebrow and rested a hand on her hip, staring the Assassin down. Damn those eyes!

“Sleep well?” she asked. Kim rubbed the back of her neck and willed the heat to descend from her cheeks. Quick flickers of the night prior made her skin grow hotter and her breathing quicken. Shego watched Kim mumble and grumble incoherently, looking at anything that wasn’t the Templar. She even waved a hand in front of the Assassin, trying to get her attention yet again. “You alright, Kim?”

The Assassin in question gulped down a few dry swallows to sooth her suddenly parched throat, feeling the saliva scratch at her flesh. “Y-yeah. Just a bit rattled is all.” she lied. “I don’t really enjoy ship rides.” Kim tried to lie as best she could. Shego clearly wasn’t buying it, but she took it as an answer well enough. Whatever was unsettling Kim, she was sure she’d find out about it later.

The Templar pursed her lips and turned her head towards the ever growing breach of shore just across the ocean’s surface, a cluster of thriving palm trees and various shrubs simply glowing under the midday sun. The bit of land looked entirely uninhabited and barren. “Well you’re in luck. We’re going to take a quick stop here. The captain, that old bugger,” Shego bit. Her eyes skirted over the old man barking orders at his crew, back hunched and deep frown burned into his forehead. “Wants to let the crew stretch their legs. Take a piss and whatnot.” she nipped. They could walk just fine on the ship, and the rails weren’t _that_ tall.

Kim had to smother a sigh of disbelief. They didn’t have time to sit around! “And I suppose they need to bathe as well.” she pinched her nostrils shut as a few of members of the crew stalked on by. They absolutely reeked with sweat and grime. Kim turned to her own collar, her face scrunching up in disgust.

“Perhaps it is not only them?” Shego snickered, black lips quirked up in a smirk. She revelled in Kim’s dismay, scoffing quietly and turning towards the captain. “How long until we dock?” asked Shego. The captain waved her off, busying himself further with a particular crew member worthy of his choler. The Templar cast a nasty expression his way but turned back to Kim, shrugging.

Pink lips pursed and olive eyes rolled carelessly. Of course he didn’t want to associate with them. After such threatening discourse back in Long Bay, why would he? “Shouldn’t be too long. How’s your leg?” asked Kim, voice quiet as she eyed the bandage. It was a dirty red, like the wound had reopened already.

“Stings, but not much else.” Shego mumbled, eyebrows pulled together in a frown. Her fingers proded gently at the wound and blood began to stick to her fingers, coating them a dark scarlet. Her claws tore at the cloth, pulling strands away and making her hiss in pain. “Damn it.”

Kim took a swift stride forward to catch Shego’s wrist in a vice grip, tugging it off the wrappings and ducking down to her knees. She scoured the bandages with a low hum and rested an open palm on it, looking up at Shego. “Don’t touch it. You’ll only make it worse.” she reprimanded, watching the older woman roll her eyes and step back.

“Whatever you say, Princess.” she smirked, chuckling when Kim tossed her a dark glare. “Do not take it to heart, Cupcake. Friendly banter is nothing to get heated over.” Shego cooed, resting a light hand on Kim’s tensed shoulder. The heat that came from the other woman snaked down Kim’s skin through her Assassin’s Coat, webbing through her muscles and into her bones. It made her smile, like it brought a certain sense of comfort to an otherwise volatile world. How she wished it would never end.

“Momma?” called Amber’s quiet voice. They both turned to look at the child who clutched her bear tightly to her tunic, it’s beady eyes staring up at the two. “Uncle Henry is being a grumpy head. He says he doesn’t want to land.” she whispered and pointed to the helm of the ship where Henry was stationed, his body hunched as he argued with the captain. Shego caught his eye briefly, her own expression far more intense than the one he was trying to pass off to the old man. He straightened and turned to face the island, the captain giving him a hearty laugh in victory.

“That big dolt is going to get us stranded.” she bit, crouching down beside Amber and eyeing her older brother. “How about you go play with Warren and William? You can go play below deck.” Shego urged, her voice forcing a certain level of ease into her tone. She’d have a word with Henry later, but Amber needed some attention.

“But Momma, they’re busy swimming.” Amber whined, holding her bear tighter to her chest and twisting back and forth. Shego, on the other hand, raced up from her crouch and searched the ship. The faint splashing caught her ear a moment later and she had to shove her irritation back into her stomach to let it simmer.

“Twins!” she hollered, eyes narrowed and set ablaze by a green fire. The boys were busy splashing away by the slow moving ship, so entranced in their laughter that they didn’t hear Shego calling for them. “What are you doing?” she called. It proved to be in vain, however, as the twins continued to ignore their sister.

Kim’s eyes widened, however, when she spotted the ashen dorsal of a rather massive fish. It circled around just a few yards away from the twins, meandering in the sea in search of its next meal. “Shego,” Kim beckoned for the woman’s attention, squinting and pointing out towards the predatory fish. There were jagged tears in the hide, scars of spear heads and ditch effort blades tattering the grey flesh like swaths of silver. It seemed to take notice of the boys swimming about by the ship’s drifting hull, the once orbiting fin making a threatening bee-line for William and Warren.

Quickly, more members of the ship began to notice their distress, yelling and gesturing for the younger Templars to return. Once more did their calls go unheard and the fish grew closer, its massive body hulking towards the unsettled waters. “Damn it Wegos!” shouted Shego as she leapt onto the ship’s rail and overboard, diving head first into the ocean. She crashed into the waves just a few feet away from the boys but the fish was much closer. Its fin glided under the surface of the brilliant sea, disappearing into the depths. “Fucking Wegos!” Shego shouted. The boys, quite startled, turned towards their sister and ceased their splashing, noting very quickly the worry strewn upon the faces of many.

“Sis?” Warren squeaked. Shego raced forth and plowed into the two, dragging them under the waves as blur of pearly whites snapped on their position, slicing into the water like knives. The Great White’s belly rose into the sky before crashing back down into the water, searching for his feed. Though he wouldn’t see much longer. Shego’s claw-like nails swiped through the water with great speed and slashed into its beady eye, rendering it a bloody mass of ribboned shreds. It flailed about, thrashing its tail this way and that to ward her off, forcing her to swim back. Meanwhile, the crew had taken up arms, aiming for the shark with serrated harpoons and simple spears. Some pierced its monstrous hide and it thrashed about some more, shaking free the jagged metals and bone spires.

“Momma!” Amber cried, leaning up against the barque’s edge. Her bear was long forgotten, dropped onto the deck. Kim yanked her away from the rail and handed her to Marvin. He wrapped his arms around the child and covered her ears, looking at Kim the same way he had in Long Bay.

The three in the water began to swim ferociously, kicking their feet as fast as they could. They were just a few yards away from the shore, sun-yellowed sand beckoning them to stagger onto its coast. But the shark would not let them, circling them dangerously close. Harpoons had since ceased to cut into the sea for fear of striking the Templars, people instead left to stare anxiously as the massive fish prepared for a devastating strike. Shego had begun to throw her arms over the boys for what little protection it would ensure and had poised her hands for another savage swing at the hellish Great White. It stared at them with its remaining eye, mouth agape and feral incisors protruding from its gums like barbed skewers.

“I hate the fucking ocean.” Shego grumbled, watching it move around them like a cat to a mouse. She felt her wound begin to stretch and tear, blood spilling into the waters like a vermillion smoke. It stained her soaked shirt, painting it a light pink.

“Shea!” Henry’s voice roared out over the vicious ocean. Shego looked at him long enough for the shark to charge, ramming its tapered nose into her abdomen. It snapped at her flesh as she curled around its face, obscuring its view as she clung safely to its fin. In a hasty attempt to loosen her from its hide, the shark dove into the sea, propelling the both of them to the ocean floor. It was deep enough to obscure Shego’s view of the boat, but not enough to drown out the light. She spotted a sunken harpoon, it’s hilt snapped from the tip to leave the bone spear lying gently in the sand, eyeing her from a distance.

The shark took advantage of her distraction and swung its meaty tail into her head. Shego was forced off the Great White and into the sand, plumes of yellow granules wafting up around her as she collided with the ocean floor. Bubbles exploded from her mouth and what little air she held in her lungs was expelled, floating up towards the surface to leave her in a suffocating panic. She vaguely saw the shark preparing for yet another strike of its gaping maw, the single beady eye digging into her frightened pools.

It charged, face swishing back and forth madly as it made for her abdomen and the Templar barely had time to twist away, letting the shark bury its nose into the sand. She took her chance and pushed off the ocean floor towards the broken spear head, finding what purchase she could upon the shattered bone. She took it into her palm, the ridges cutting into her fingers, and turned to face the shark only to find it was ramming its face into her yet again. They rose out of the water, Shego clinging onto its face with her free hand, the other drawing back. Emerald orbs narrowed and Shego roared, plunging the blade into the Great White’s thick skull. The bone began to splinter and crack as blood splattered her front, what remained of the weapon buried into the brain of the monster. Teeth grazed her flesh, tearing at her sides and creating lacerations all along her body as the shark opened and closed its maw in hopes to wound his attacker, whipping its ashen tail into the woman. She was forced once more off the shark and into the ocean, struggling to keep afloat while the beast sought its final meal. Crimson tainted the elsewise blue sea and dyed the woman’s clothes, the cloth mingling with both her’s and the shark’s shedded blood.

The shark finally began to still and its corpse floated above the ocean’s surface, an expanding circle of scarlet slithering out from the lance in its head. “I… hate… the ocean…” Shego’s chest heaved and she almost cried in relief as she felt the waves wash her ashore, the sand holding her in a warm embrace. Her own gore began to stain the sand, various tears and cuts littering her flesh like tattoos and shreds of clothing flaring out around her like wisps of discoloured ribbon. No longer would she look at the sea with glee, she thought.

“Shego!” Kim yelled, diving off the ship and into the ocean. She swam past the shark and beached beside Shego, pressing a hand gently into the woman’s stomach. Her hand touched bare skin, the shirt torn away and lain out among the shore. “Are you alright? Can you hear me?” she asked, waving her other hand in front of the woman’s dazed eyes. The Templar nodded slowly, sucking in air and staring intently at the shark.

“I’m going to kill those boys.” Shego hissed, leaning back into the sand. She didn’t move when Kim began to drag her further onto the shore, settling her beside a lopsided palm tree. It’s vibrant leaves hovered over them, shading the two from the baking sun.

“Let me patch you up.” Kim said, her hand making quick work of the woman’s shirt. Even the cloth wrapped around Shego’s breasts was a bit torn, strips of fabric dangling to expose slivers of smooth, green skin. Kim eyed the slits carefully, examining each for injury. It was when Shego coughed lightly, a smirk plastered on her cheeks, that Kim realized she’d been staring intently at the Templar’s bosom, gaze glued to her chest. The heat that rose to Kim’s face was inevitable and she had to look away, stumbling to her feet and returning to the ship.

“Marvin,” she squeaked, gaining the attention of the man. “Shego needs um… h-help over there.” she gestured towards the other woman and raced down the steps to the lower deck. The Assassin dove into the hammock and buried her face in the blanket coiled at the top, willing the red to deplete. “Keep it together, Possible. Keep it together.” she murmured, taking in deep breaths. Kim soon stood up and brushed off her shoulders, turning to face the steps once more. The blood began to snake up her face again and she covered her head. It would be a while before she could join the others ashore. Hopefully Shego would forget about her blatant ogle.

“Fat chance.” she groaned, covering her eyes.

  


The crew had set sail just as the sun halved over the horizon, basking the barque in a gilded, golden glow. Most of the crew had retired off to bed, leaving the Templars and lone Assassin up top. Amber was fast asleep in Henry’s lap, Marvin stroking her hair and the Twins resting hands on her legs. The child was utterly shaken upon seeing her mother in such a damaged state; Shego was covered in various salves and adhesive bandages, some more red than others. But the woman seemed far less concerned with her wounds, much more focused on her daughter that slept unsettlingly so. She’d never seen Amber cry that much. It shook her, to say the least.

Kim had observed Shego since they pulled off shore, keeping a very close eye on the battered Templar. The woman was visibly exhausted, though her heated glares and rare embraces of her daughter said otherwise. Kim could see it in her eyes.

“You must rest, Shego.” said Kim, resting a hand lightly on the woman’s shoulder. She shrugged it off, however, intensely drawn to the Twins. She would stare at them every now and then, sometime with a nasty scowl and others with a worried frown. The Assassin felt the tension rise, as did the other siblings. But nobody dared call Shego out on it. So, when she finally spoke, everyone knit their shoulders and prepared for an onslaught of anger.

“You could’ve died today.” she said. Her voice was quiet and not at all angered. Her dipped eyebrows didn’t match her tone. “You were so careless, so oblivious to your surroundings. You both could’ve been killed.” she continued, hands folded neatly in her lap and legs crossed. The others assumed the same position, each seated in a rugged circle at the bowsprit.

The Twins dipped their heads in guilt, resting their hands on either side of themselves. “We’re sorry, sis. We didn’t mean to put you in danger…” they whispered, not looking up at Shego. The woman looked surprised by their words, her frown lessening if ever so slightly.

“I am not upset I got hurt. I’m upset because I was scared.” they were caught off guard, locking eyes with their older sister. Her frown had completely dissolved and she gestured at the two. “I thought you were going to die, the both of you. Had I not been told of your whereabouts, I may have been too late.” she murmured. The group looked back and forth between each other, nobody saying a word. Shego sighed and stood wobbly from the floor, gripping her side and biting back a whimper. “G-get some rest. All of you.” she ordered, turning towards the stairs near the helm. The five watched her slowly descend the steps and disappear below deck, leaving them to listen only to the gentle crash of waves against wood. The ship rocked back and forth, making Kim yawn and sway side to side.

“She’s right. Get some rest. I’ll see all of you in the morning.” Kim yawned, moving over to Henry. The Assassin held out her arms and waited patiently for the man to hand her the child, listening to him grumble while he hesitantly lifted the girl into Kim’s tired arms. The Assassin clutched the child to her chest and took after Shego, laying the girl in her own cot while she moved to the floor beneath it. The wooden planks did not welcome her as quickly as the hammock would have, but she fell into a deep slumber nonetheless, falling asleep to the gentle lull of Shego’s quiet breath.

  


She woke to the quiet whisper of Amber, her tiny hand pushing on Kim’s cheek. “Hey… Hey, wake up. Momma says it’s time to wake up.” she murmured, voice but a mere breath above silent. Kim’s eyes fluttered open and she blinked away the blinding sunlight filtering through the main deck. Amber’s bear caught her eye next, the smooth brown fur brushing lightly against her collar.

“Where’s your Momma?” asked Kim, sitting up and rubbing the back of her neck. The muscles were tight from the hard floor and her spine kinked from poor posture. Damn her kindness.

Amber pointed towards the stairs and took off, leaving Kim to follow in her own time. When she emerged from the lower floor, a smile split her cheeks. “Home.” she breathed, taking in a deep sniff through her nose. The smell of alcohol stung the back of her throat and the salty sea breeze lifted her hair over her shoulders, The Great Inagua welcoming her back into its loving arms.

“You’re finally awake.” said Shego, approaching Kim from behind. The Assassin smiled at her and Shego mimicked her expression, standing beside her to stare out at the town. It was far more refurbished than Shego had once thought. Perhaps the Brotherhood had lended a helping hand, she mused. Polished steel and freshly stained wood caught her eye, detailed gilding embroidering the supports that held so many buildings above the quaking tide.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” asked Kim. They scanned the beach, following dirt roads all the way up to the base of a green massif. “My parents live up there,” Kim pointed towards the mountains, eyeing a small cluster of colonial mansions. Some sat in the rock face while others hung idly about, massive gardens spanning the distance. “I hope we’ll see them soon.” Kim murmured, hugging herself tight. She’d missed her parents, though farewells never truly were her strong suit.

The Templar cast a smile her way, chuckling quietly. “Come on,” she started down the boardwalk, thumbs hooked in the waistband of her pants. “Let’s go stretch out, get a drink. I, for one, could use a bath.” Shego grumbled towards the end, catching a whiff of herself in the ocean breeze. Kim scoffed through her nose, but followed nonetheless. Upon seeing Shego’s departure, the other siblings began to move in tow, preceded only by Amber who held tightly onto the Wego’s hands. The Twins had kept the child from hopping onto Shego after the skirmish back at the Cumberland Bay for fear of their sister’s injuries growing worse- much to Amber’s dismay. But she hadn’t fought them much. Kim knew the woman longed to hold her child, but reopening her wounds was not something she felt too keen on doing. Makes sense, she supposed.

“Kim, you said the Brotherhood work out of here, The Great Inagua, did you not?” asked Shego, her voice but a mere whisper. Many people had begun staring at her intently, examining her state of dress, or lack thereof. It made her weary, but she would not draw a blade yet. No need to start trouble where there already isn’t any.

“This one of our biggest outposts.” Kim began to speak, but chided herself quickly. While Shego no longer affiliated with the Templar Order openly, she feared spilling any unnecessary information. The less Shego knew, the better. Kim feared she already knew quite a bit.

“Is there anywhere safe we can rest? Just until things are a bit more sorted?” asked Shego, her voice low. The stares had not yet receded and disdain rose from the pit of her stomach to the back of her throat. There were too many people with too many weapons to outmatch and she certainly wouldn’t step down from a fight. Shego only hoped there wouldn’t be any. She wasn’t in a state well enough to join in a fray, not with her leg. The woman hissed upon thought, the gash stinging as she remembered its presence on her thigh. Damn National Guard, always getting in the way.

Kim reached out to woman and rested a hand on her shoulder, preparing to catch her should she fall. “My parent’s house. I’ll speak to them once we get there.” she chirped, a smile cracking her face. They’d be so excited to see her! But what would she say? It didn’t seem fair to jeopardize their secrecy in the name of… whatever it was she and Shego had.

The Assassin shook away those nagging thoughts. They were safe on the island, no need to ponder over such trifling things just yet. “What of your brethren? Kenway and such?” asked Shego. She’d grown quiet in guilt. It was _her_ fault, after all, that Kim was separated from her old band of Assassins. Perhaps she’d be able to make it up to the redhead in the future.

Kim’s eyes fell to the sand beneath their feet as they continued on, rose petal lips pursed into a thin line. She’d struck a nerve, it would seem. The Templar nodded without a word, leaving Kim to her thoughts as they continued on. They would talk later.

By now, many of the island’s residents had risen from their daily duties and routines, some resting tentative hands over their weapons and others ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. Shego glanced back at her brothers, back at Amber. The child looked oblivious to her surroundings but her brothers were undeniably tense, drawn together as a group. She bit back a smirk of pride- she’d taught them to stick together. It made them look bigger as a unit, and much harder to conquer.

“Hego!” she called for him, watching his once skirting eyes gluing to her own. He broke from the his brothers and met Shego’s side, stalking beside her in time with each stride. “What of the others?” she asked, voice just above a breathy whisper.

“Even the Twins know danger when they see it. Are you sure this is the safest place we could’ve gone?” he asked, shoulders drooping. There he went again, questioning his sister’s judgement. A fine, black eyebrow rose in indignation, but it fell just as fast with a short sigh.

“No,” she murmured, glancing at those who watched her so closely. “But I trust Kim.” Henry nodded and retreated back to his brothers and niece, shielding them from onlookers. What fun this was. Exploring an unwelcome territory- one riddled with Assassins no less. Shego watched him mold back into the others, their taller and broader frames building a bit of a circle of fortitude around the child. Amber, still entirely clueless, followed along, holding her bear tight and watching the ground.

“Shego, we’d better move faster.” Kim’s suddenly hushed tone brought the woman back. Kim was busy staring at a tavern off the road, whores and pirates meddled alike. All drunk chatter had completely faded away by the time the Assassin and her cohort came into view, everyone blatantly staring at the two with curiosity. Shego narrowed her eyes. Concern was marbled somewhere in there, she just knew it. A few seated patrons had risen to their feet, fingers wrapping around firearms and blades of various degree.

“Possible? _Kim_ Possible?” a man called, his massive beard swishing with each syllable. Shego didn’t miss the look of surprise that washed over Kim’s once solemn face, rendering it a sloppy mess of jovial brightness. It startled Shego, to say the least.

“Edward Thatch, you dirty sea dog! How are you?” Kim’s feet spun like wheels as she raced to engulf the man in a monstrous hug, tiny arms wrapping tightly around the man. His gruff beard scratched into her forehead but she pushed into the grasp nonetheless, simply trembling with excitement.

“I’d ask the same of you, lass.” he chortled, bear-like hands clasping around Kim’s back. Upon setting her down did he notice Kim’s company. “And who is this ravishing creature?” asked Thatch. Shego eyed him up and down. The man, Edward Thatch, was armed to the teeth with weapons. Two blades sat firmly on either side of his hip and four wheellock pistols were nestled upon his chest. Not something she wanted to combat regardless.

“This is my travel companion. We’ve just come from Long Bay.” said Kim. Thatch presented himself with a smile, but Shego would not return the favour. “Edward, have you seen Kenway by chance?” Kim asked, voice suddenly low and inquisitive.

“‘Fraid not, lass. Haven’t seen them boys since you left for those islands north of Devil’s Eye Caves. Why? Has something gone wrong?” he asked, face riddled with worry. It simply wouldn’t do for Kenway and his crew to drop off the face of the Earth now would it?

Kim sighed and rested a hand on Thatch’s ratty coat, squeezing his shoulder. “Worry not, Blackbeard. I’m sure they will return to us in good time.” she smiled, huffing through her nose as a gentle breeze brought the rancid scent of alcohol to her attention. “And stay away from the booze!”

Blackbeard couldn’t help but laugh heartily, tugging Kim back into a tight hug. “Good to have you home, Possible.” he laughed, setting her down roughly. She stumbled with a smile, tossing him a meager salute as she turned back to Shego. The woman was still eyeing Thatch’s arsenal with a bit of alertness.

“Don’t pay him any mind, Shego. He’s a bit outgoing, is all.” she didn’t sound that convincing to Shego, but what was she to say regardless? The woman shrugged and went back to her steady pace, following alongside Kim as they stalked up the entirety of the town. Alcohol permeated the air like a thick smog the further they went, the sand discoloured and stained with spilt profit.

“The Pirate Island,” Shego huffed. “Never thought I’d come here.” Her face wrinkled up in disgust, putrid scents wafting up her nose. It was almost sickening. The only thing that kept her from fleeing was Kim’s calm and collected demeanor idling beside her, footfall a soft pad on the rugged paths. The woman couldn’t help but eye Kim with a bit of reverence, even if this was her home. To feel safe among so many dangers was a feat many had yet to overcome.

Kim, as occupied as she appeared, had not failed to notice Shego’s subtle glances and the look she held in those emerald eyes; they were so bemused, so bewildered. Why, however, Kim was not sure. She did not think there was anything strange about her, so what had Shego so consumed? “Is there something on my clothes?” she asked, checking her shoulder for grime or smudge. Shego seemed to break away from her trance, shaking her head lightly with a smirk.

“Not at all.” she dismissed Kim’s inquiry and set her attention forth upon the scattered homes, each as beautiful and magnificent as the last. “Which is yours?” asked Shego, her voice a bit shaken. She feared meeting an Assassin family, and for good reason. So many of the homes were crested with the Assassin Seal, painted white and red that warned enemies of opposed hostility. If she didn’t feel outmatched before, she certainly did now.

“That one,” Kim pointed towards a rather lavish home, a beautiful garden spanning the open lawn. A wooden patio rounded the house like a collar, overlooking the island from the yard all the way down to the busy ports. A gazebo sat off to the side on a well-tended hill, two simple chairs and a matching table the only occupants. “Kenway helped build the place back when I joined the Creed.” she smiled, rose petal lips pulled into a nostalgic smile.

Shego couldn’t help but replicate such an expression, a calm warmth swimming in her abdomen. “Let’s go see your parents, Princess.” Shego was a bit surprised when Kim didn’t tell her off for such a degrading epithet, but she did not dwell on it for long. Kim let Shego wave off her brothers, bringing them to a clustered halt as Kim dragged her up the polished steps and to the pristine door. The Assassin eagerly twisted the knob and stepped into her house, smile suddenly wiped off her face like water to a kindling flame.

Muffled crying seeped through the walls and echoed off the hallway, leaving a large room just off to their left. Kim approached the doorway quietly, identifying the mourning sounds as her parent’s own. What had them so down?

“I’m sorry, Mrs and Mr Possible. She’s gone.” Shego frowned heavily upon hearing that wretched voice. She couldn’t quite recall where she’d heard it, but the vocals brought a heavy resentment along with each muttered word. Shego was so wrapped up in trying to recall the owner of such an appalling set of pipes that she hardly noticed Kim pushing onwards and into the room.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, catching the full attention of the room’s occupants. She saw Kenway and Kyle standing before her parents, attempting to wipe the forlorn expressions off their faces. “Edward? Kyle?” asked Kim, eyes wide and smile growing large.

“Kim!” they all shouted, racing up to greet the Assassin with a tight hug. The room got reasonably less tense as relief flooded the air, drowning out the sadness that once plagued the manor. Kenway was the first to take a step back and examine the redhead. “How did you manage escape? Intact no less.” he asked, looking her up and down for wounds.

Kim, however, cocked her head to the side. “Escape?” she echoed, perplexion creasing her forehead. What on Earth were they talking about? “Escape what?” she wondered. They couldn’t possibly know about her troubles in Charlotte.

“That detestable, loathsome, fucking repulsive Templar whore.” said Kyle, avoiding the annoyed stares of Kim’s parents upon hearing such foul language. “How did you manage to get away from her? Did you kill her?” asked Kyle, tone full of hope. Kim, on the other hand, held a look of extreme vexation; a look of utter crossness. She was about to unleash a malevolent string of rancorous- damn near venomous rebukes when she felt the focus shift from her to another.

Kim heard that familiar scoff from behind her, Shego’s dismay written all over her face. The Templar’s arms were crossed and she held a feral look in her eye and Kim could see her seething with anger, irritation almost pouring from her flesh like an ewer. “I suppose I should expect no less of an attitude from a _boy_.” she growled, claws digging into her tattered shirt.

At once, Kenway and Kyle unholstered their pistols, settling the barrels in Shego’s disgruntled direction. Bullets flew from the wheelocks and embedded into the wall where Shego’s head once was. “Get down, Kim!” shouted Edward, his eyes narrowed into dark slits.

Kim raced to intervene, putting herself between her fellow Assassins and her companion. “Don’t shoot!” Kim hollered, letting Shego take cover behind her petite frame. “She’s with me.” said Kim, voice shaky with fear. She’d been afraid the Templar was hurt and was beyond relieved when she found no new wounds on the green-skinned woman.

“With you?” the room echoed with confusion, Assassins turning to look at one another. Kim nodded and Shego emerged from cover, standing quietly beside the redhead as they looked her up an down. Their ogling was interrupted by a small child rushing forth and grappling onto Shego’s leg, the woman’s hand coming down to cup the child’s face.

“And this is her daughter, Amber.” Kim added.

“ _Daughter?!_ ”

Kim sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. What an experience this would become.


	5. Chapter Five

The room had fallen silent save for Shego’s growl of warning, intense daggers flying from her eyes to Kenway and the boy. She moved in front of Amber, shielding the child with her bloody leg. Kim did the same, covering Shego’s body with her own in attempt to diffuse whatever danger had begun brewing. “Mom, Dad?” she asked quietly, beckoning for their attention.

The Possibles had locked gaze with the Templar, Shego taking in their appearances. Both of their faces were streaked with tears and both looked almost deflated. The woman, Kim’s mother, bore great resemblance to the younger Possible, a damn clone if Shego was being honest. The only thing that set the two women apart was the faint laugh lines and shorter red hair of the mother. The likeness was uncanny.

“Kimmie-cub, you’re alright!” her father exclaimed. The man raced from his seat and enveloped Kim in a tight hug, forcing Shego to take a step back with her daughter in tow. He paid her little mind, much too focused on the younger woman. Kim’s mother quickly joined, adding to the suffocating embrace. Shego would’ve smiled had it been under any other circumstance.

“I’m fine.” she smiled, hugging them just as tight. Kenway and Kyle seemed just as bothered by the scene as Shego was. Tension brewed on either side of the Possibles, slithering over like a nefarious slimy gunk that would’ve poisoned the air had Kim and her parents not been there, mediating the atmosphere with a radiating gratefulness.  
Kim’s mother was the first to break from the hug, taking a good long look at Shego. She eyed the woman up and down while she was occupied with having a silent brawl with the other Assassins, settling a steady gaze on the bleeding wound. It had snaked it’s way around her inner thigh, reaching just below her sex to just above her knee.

“Kim, won’t you introduce us to your friend?” she asked, turning back to face her daughter with a smile. Kim returned the gesture instantly.

“Mom, Dad, this is Shego. She, and her brothers, helped get me home.” her warm smile turned from her parents to the green-skinned woman, catching the older female’s eye. Shego’s frown upturned a bit, a gentle warmth flooding her abdomen. She was weak in the face of that smile.

“Not before she kidnapped you in the first place.” Kyle bit, crossing his arms harshly across his chest. Shego would’ve done the same had her hand not been cupping Amber’s face, holding her close to her injured leg. He eyed the child and then the Templar, earning him a feral snarl in return.

“Boys,” Kim’s mother spoke up. “ How about you go get some fresh air.” she had a smile on her face, but her tone was steadfast. They nodded quietly and headed for the door, grunting upon seeing the other siblings outside the front door. Mrs. Possible watched them go, frowning when they started a bit of banter with the others outside.

“Mom, it’s not what you think.” Kim began. “I mean, it is, but she helped me get back. She never did anything to hurt me, I swear.” said Kim, gesturing to Shego. The Templar eyed the three curiously; what were they going to say to her for kidnapping their child? Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

“Shego, is it?” asked the older female. Shego nodded. “I’m Ann, and that is James.” she held out a hand, watching Shego shift her weight from one foot to the other with a slight wince in her effort to return the gesture. “I want to thank you... for returning my daughter home safely.” Ann smiled. The green-skinned woman’s eyebrow rose and she glanced to Kim who only shrugged, offering yet another smile.

“It was done posthaste.” Shego bowed her head, stifling another wince. Blood had begun to pool at her foot and she felt a bit dizzy. She cast a quick glance towards the door to see her bloody footprint had been left in her wake. How long had it been bleeding so profusely? Ann took notice of her wooden flooring and wrapped an arm around Shego’s shoulder, making the other woman bristle.

“Come, sit down and let me look at it.” her tone was sincere but unwavering. Shego didn’t argue and let herself be dragged over to a lush loveseat in another room. A large bay window overlooked the island letting bright sunlight fill the room. The Templar, even though she focused on the other Possible woman, had noticed the glass art that littered the ceiling. The stained shards painted the highest points of the walls in brilliant colours, filtering the light through their faces as they continued to rotate in place.  
Ann helped the woman sit down and quickly shooed James away. She looked at Shego’s child. “What is your name, little one?” she asked. Amber blushed gently and hid behind Kim with a small smile, looking up at her mother. Shego’s lips turned up ever so gently and she nodded.

“I’m Amber. You look a lot like Momma’s friend.” she giggled, hiding playfully behind Kim. Ann chuckled and turned to Shego.

“Amber, sweetheart, why don’t you go play with the Twins, yeah?” Shego cooed, watching her daughter nod gleefully and race out the door. The room fell silent again and Ann began to tug at the torn fabric, exposing a very angry gash. The Templar twitched under Ann’s hard gaze, watching her flit around the wound to examine it.

“Oh dear, how long have you had it?” asked Ann. From the looks of the injury, it might’ve been a few days. Kim confirmed her suspicions and she shook her head. “I need you to remove your clothes.” she murmured, twisting about and standing up. “I’ll retrieve some supplies and we can get you patched up.” the older Possible gave her a quick pat on the shoulder, turning too fast to see Shego’s light green blush. Kim too had a tinge to her cheeks, hand coming up to rub the back of her neck as she looked at anything but Shego’s soon-to-be-exposed crotch. The redhead fully rotated as Shego slowly removed her bloody trousers, trying to cover whatever didn’t need to be seen. The blood felt cold against her bare flesh making her face scrunch up in disgust. She didn’t need blood down there.

Shego almost snickered at Kim for being so modest, revelling in the way Kim ogled her when she thought nobody was looking. It was almost adorable in it’s childish ways, but she still felt flattered nonetheless.

“Alright,” Ann hummed as she returned. Thread and needle sat in one hand, bandages and medicine in the other. “Let’s take a look, shall we?” she asked. Kim finally returned her gaze to Shego, watching the older woman tense up as her mother’s fingers prodded around the wound. She came dangerously close to the green-skinned woman’s core more than once, and each time Shego almost pulled away. Ann paid it little mind and focused entirely on the injury, eventually moving to spread the woman’s legs for a better view of the cut. She caught sight of the outer edge of Shego’s sex for a moment, the skin bloodied by the cloth.

“You don’t want that there, it’ll stain your skin.” she said, fingers reaching out to tug away the ruined pants. Shego quickly frowned at her and held them in place. “I’m a doctor, dear, it’s not something I haven’t seen before.” Ann cooed, trying once more to remove the trousers. Shego reluctantly released her vice grip on the cloth and let the older Possible take them away, tossing them on the floor. The Templar watched with a cocked eyebrow, resisting a shudder as a cool breeze wafted through the room. Ann ignored the woman’s bare crotch, spreading her leg further to pull the skin taught. Shego hissed but did nothing else as Kim’s mother began to stitch the wound.

Kim gulped as the trousers landed beside her feet. She knew what was behind her, and it made her shiver. Why was she acting so weird? The answer was beyond her.  
“Kimmie-cub, can you find a pair of pants she can wear?” Ann asked. She never looked up from her work, listening instead to the quiet murmur of her daughter and the footfalls that followed her leave. “There, all done.” said Ann. “You should take it easy for a while, try to stay off it until it heals.” said the woman as she handed Shego the bitter vile. The Templar downed the medicine and nodded slowly, closing her legs and waiting for Kim to return. She didn’t wait long, sporting a devilish smirk as Kim fumbled with a pair of white half-leathers. Shego couldn’t help but snicker as Kim tripped over herself, flustered beyond belief. Ann rose an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth turned upwards as she scoffed through her nose.

“You’ve got Kimmie-cub under a spell, don’t you?” Ann asked, but they both knew it was rhetorical. Shego shrugged and caught the trousers as Kim tossed them away, turning on her heel and heading outside while she mumbled about her Assassin companions. “So,” started Ann. The green-skinned Templar didn’t like her tone, now that they were alone. “What exactly do you have with my daughter?” the older Possible asked, eyebrow cocked when Shego shrugged.

“I suppose I’ve been both her captor and her saviour more than once, so at this point, I’d say I was a travel companion of sorts, but nothing more.” Shego sighed, the slight sense of euphoria washing over her as the medicine worked its magic. Her leg throbbed but numbness started to kick in, dulling the sharp pain to a minor ache. “Where’d you get that stuff?” asked Shego, vision beginning to blur. She saw Ann’s small smile out the corner of her eye before falling back, body gone totally limp and rendered immobile. It didn’t scare her, however.

“It’s just something to help you rest, dear.” Ann chuckled, patting an exposed green calf. Shego tried to respond but found her body useless as she drifted off into sleep. She grumbled quietly and turned over, pulling her knees up to her chest. Curled into a ball, the Templar succumbed to slumber, unable to feel Mrs Possible rise off the couch.  
Ann cast one last look at the resting woman before turning to the front door, stepping out to find a few unfamiliar, and rather brash looking faces to greet her. She eyed them curiously, nodding as she took in their various skin colours. “You’re related to Shego, are you not?” she asked, earning her a few select glares and a curious stare at the door from which she had emerged.

“Where’s our sister?” asked Hego, arms crossed and voice stern. He saw the resemblance the older women held with Kim, but it didn’t help sate the concern that pooled in his gut.

Ann held a hand up and gave him a welcoming smile. “Resting.” she said. “Shego’s been under a lot of stress with that wound, and it was starting to take its toll. Leave her be,” she paused and stalked down the steps to meet her daughter side by side. “She needs to heal.”  
Hego didn’t really like being told off in such a fashion, but Kim’s sideways nod made him hold his tongue. Even if Shego wasn’t around to rip him a new one, he wouldn’t question her judgement again. Though, anxiety made itself at home in his chest, constricting his lungs ever so slightly just to make itself known. His massive fists clenched and unclenched, but Hego didn’t quit staring at the door.

“Kim!” called Kenway. He was making his way up the road, scowl on his face when he spotted they were still in the company of well-known Templar Officers. His hand rested on the blades situated on either sides of his hips, sharp edges glinting under the Caribbean sun menacingly. “Kyle wants to see you down at the Cracked Keg.” he grumbled, making his way to the younger of the Possible women.

She rolled her eyes; Kyle wanted nothing more to bitch and moan as far as she knew. She wouldn’t keep his company if that was really the case. “Thatch would appreciate a visit from you as well, Kenway.” she sighed and stepped away from her mother, taking a pace with Kenway as they stalked away from the Possible Residence.

“So,” Kenway tried to muster a smile, but it only came halfway. She frowned at his failed attempt for a friendly conversation, but awaited what followed. “The Goulds… How’d that go?” he asked. Edward truly was without proper words for such an occasion.

“What do you really want to say, Kenway?” Kim bit, crossing her arms as they went. She wouldn’t stand for him beating around the bush- not after his display with her parents. She truly didn’t see why he thought the Goulds were so bad. She’d been with at least one of them for far more than he had and the only thing she had to really complain about was the occasional authoritative uphand, and even then it never truly bothered her.

“Kim, you were kidnapped by one of them, and then returned by them. I want to say I’m fucking confused, but after the face you made with Johnson, I don’t think I want anything to do with it.” he flailed his arms dramatically and sighed through his nose, turning back to face the road. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” he added quietly, shoulders slumped and head hung low.

Kim gave him a weak smile and patted him on the shoulder, shoving him forward a few steps. “I’m fine, Edward. So, how were you while I was gone?” she asked, though she meant to know of her entire crew. She’d wondered what they were up to while she was abroad.

“It wasn’t good, Kim. We followed you for a while until we’d gotten held up by a shoreline fort. The ship barely floated in the tide after we turned tail, but Kyle wouldn’t let up. He damn near swam to Charlotte when we turned back.” Kenway frowned upon mentioning the young Assassin. Kim shook her head. “That boy has a real soft spot for you, Kimberly,” Edward huffed, gaining the full attention of his cohort. Kim cast a wayward glance his way. “I think that’s why he blew his top back there. He thought you were dead.” he said quietly, tears burning the back of his eyes.

“I thought you were dead.”

Kim stopped them entirely and engulfed the man in a hug, holding him close even though his chin pressed into her scalp uncomfortably. “Well,” she backed up a step. “I’m not. I’m here, and now we can continue with our mission.” Kim smirked and punched the man in his shoulder, continuing their steady pace to the tavern.

“Typical, Possible. Always thinking of the work.” Kenway chuckled and looped an arm over the younger Assassin’s shoulders, using the other hand to rub his knuckles into her scalp roughly. Kim giggled and rammed a hard fist in his side, sending him grunting a few feet away. “Got a hell of a punch, too.” he laughed.

She averted her gaze upon seeing Kyle at the pub, tankard nestled in his palm as he downed pint after pint. His frown was noticeable even from where Kim was and it plagued her own features. She’d considered tearing into him on her way down with Kenway, but had decided against it. But seeing the man now made her want to reconsider. “Johnson!” Edward barked, watching the boy barely look at them from the corner of his eye. Kim’s own glare etched itself deeper into her face- she didn’t like his fucking attitude. The two sat down in front of Kyle, taking a seat in alcohol and blood stained chairs. The wood creaked under their weight and Kyle looked up, meeting Kim’s heated glower.

“So, you wanted to see me?” she asked, crossing her arms tightly over her chest as she awaited his response. She dared him to bring up Shego in another nasty manner.

“Yeah. You alright Kim?” he asked. His voice was gravelly with intoxication, inebriated hatred meddling in his tone. Kim rose an eyebrow and looked herself up and down irritatedly. “Good. I expected worse from a-”

“Stop.” Kim demanded, hand swinging out to cut away his string of insults that surely followed. “I don’t want to hear what names you’ve thought up for the Goulds. I’m fine, that’s all that matters.” she spat, waving him off. Kyle looked dumbfounded with the way Kim dismissed his concerns.

“Yeah. I’m just glad you survived with her around. She must’ve kept you bound at all times, seeing how she’s still breathing.” he snarled, slamming another tankard of pirate’s ale. It seared the back of his throat but he paid the pain little mind, much too focused on Kim’s tiny shrug.

“I wasn’t tied up all that much.” she corrected, crossing her legs.

“And you didn’t _assassinate_ her?!” Kyle smashed his tankard into the floor, the metal clanging grumpily against the wooden planks. “That’s literally what we do! That’s our job description!” he snapped, eye twitching as he had his own little meltdown. “Why didn’t you kill that wretched monster?!” Kyle screeched and he leapt to his feet, hands pressed firmly against the table as he fumed. Kim swore she saw the smoke coming from his ears and she could almost feel it coming from hers.

“She’s not a monster.” Kim argued, her own stance becoming more and more guarded. Kim wouldn’t stand for such foul talk against Shego. She was so busy trying not to burst into a flaming ball of violence that the irony of her statement was lost on her. Kyle, however, caught it head on, eyes wide and shoulders drawn up tight.

“You mustn’t be serious, Kim.” he tried to get her attention. “You said it yourself: “No Templar could ever be human.” Do you not recall?” he asked, eyes narrow and hand wrapped around the hilt of his blade as he stared up the extensive hill to her parent’s house. “Or have you spent so much time with them that you’ve forgotten what they’re capable of?” Kyle’s tone had dropped and his face was twisted with an unbridled hatred, brown eyes dancing with fire. He’d show Kim what a Templar could- _would_ do.

He turned from his comrades and quickly made his way off the tavern patio, leaping down and onto the ground below. Dirt billowed up around him, floating up under his Assassin’s cloak and into his tunic as he took heavy steps towards the Possible Residence. He could see the Gould siblings still standing before the manor, idling around with Kim’s parents. “Where are you going?” Edward called, drawing his own blade. Kyle was about to do something stupid, he just knew it. “We need to stop him.” Kenway turned towards Kim who struggled to stifle an urge to kill the younger male. He was about to do something he’d regret; she’d make sure of that.

As one, Kim and Edward took off after the younger Assassin, blades drawn in preparation of a violent confrontation. They raced after Kyle who broke into a sprint upon being pursued, a guttural roar splitting the quiet conversation between Henry and James. Kyle’s blade rose and he slashed down, catching Warren on the shoulder and dragging the tip through his back to his hip. The boy screamed in agony and fell forward, tears swimming down his cheeks as Hego turned in rage. Marvin drew his firearm and took aim as Henry dove forward, gripping Kyle by the throat. The Assassin ran the length of his sword along the burly man’s forearm, causing the Templar to release him. Kyle barely hit the floor before Kim dove into him, pinning him to the ground and hammering his face with punches. Kyle yelled out for her to stop but she didn’t listen, focused to much on rendering his face and chest a bloody mess. Her knuckles split and her own blood mixed with that of Johnson’s lacerations, his eye swollen shut and lip split wide. The ground had begun to turn a dark vermillion and the dirt turned to mushy mud, splatters of red pelting the ground with each ruthless strike.

“Kimberly!” Edward hollered, wrapping his arms under Kim’s and yanking her back. She kept swinging at air as Kenway forced her a few yards away from Kyle, the boy slowly sitting up in an agony-stricken haze. His finger came up and prodded at his many open wounds, his fingertips stained a dark red as he tried to examine himself through touch. He was beyond confused. Was that his blood? Why was he bleeding? The boy was so in shock he didn’t even know what hit him, only that everywhere hurt.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Hego boomed, meaty fist raised high above his head. Kyle didn’t even hear him, so stunned by Kim’s physical onslaught that his ears rang viciously. His good eye saw Kim blurrily swinging like a wild animal, a savage expression taking over her usually calm face.

“Kim?” he squeaked as his eyes rolled back into his head, body crashing back into the bloodied ground.

Kim swung an elbow into Edward’s gut and he grunted, struggling to hold her back. “Let me go! I’ll fucking tear him a new one!” she screamed, fingers hooked like claws. She’d tear into him with an utmost murderous intent. Kim thought of how many ribbons of flesh she could get out of his face before someone stopped her again.

Minutes passed before Kim even began to slow her swings and kicks, finally slumping down in an emotionally exhausted heap in Edward’s arms. Marvin and William looked the same, Hego’s arms drawn behind him while Ann tended to Warren inside. She administered the same medicine to the younger boy as she did to his older sister, placing him stomach-down in a love seat adjacent to Shego. When she returned, Kim called out.

“Don’t help him.” she growled, staring straight at the unconscious Assassin. Ann didn’t pay her any mind; she didn’t plan on helping the idiot anyway. Wordlessly, Ann took control over Henry’s cut, bandaging it tightly. She didn’t offer him any medication, seeing how the shallow slash wouldn’t do much to hinder him, but she kept a close eye on it regardless. “I should murder him.” Kim snarled, yanking herself free from Kenway’s tired grasp. She brushed herself off and huffed at her fists, letting her mother fix her up as well. “Thanks mom…” she murmured. Kim couldn’t help but feel a little remorse for doing what she did. Not for hurting him, but rather for losing control so easily. Hell, she would’ve murdered the poor bastard had Edward not pried her kicking and screaming off his deserving body. The redhead cast a soft look towards William, his eyes glued to the white door holding him from his brother. He had hidden behind Marvin after the chaos dimmed down, but he too suffered little guilt for what he’d wished he’d done.  
“Come on, let’s get him down to a doctor, or something.” Marvin grumbled, purple eyes dark with animosity. He thought about what Shego would do when she recovered- what she would’ve done had she witnessed such a hostile act against her youngest brother. A small smirk dared to grace his lips as he thought about just how quickly she’d sink her claws into his throat, regardless of whether she killed or not. That reminded him.

Where was Amber?

Suddenly his eyes grew wide and he turned every which way, a terrible terror pooling in his gut. “Amber?” he called, catching the attention of those around him. Everyone’s eyes looked like a deer in the face of a heinous hunter, wide and that of a doe. “Shit. Amber!” he cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled out for the child, surging himself into a pit of panic. What would Shego do if she knew he lost her kid? Shit shit shit shit!

“Where was she?” asked Kim, looking around wildly.

“She was with us.” Hego growled as he stared at Kyle. “She must’ve ran off during the commotion.” he suggested. The six quickly turned tail and scouted around the house, looking behind trees, under bushes, and in the tall grass. Looping back around empty-handed made the fear all that more potent.  
Kim gestured for Marvin to join her, William with Ann, and Henry with Edward. “Let’s split up. She couldn’t have gone far.” she reasoned, turning on her heel towards the woods to the East. “Come on,” she pointed towards the forest edge, nodding in affirmation when Marvin met her side. “We’d better hurry.”  
He nodded and followed along, heart pounding in his ears and throat. He felt his blood run cold at the thought of Shego waking up before they found her again. She’d start killing again, and the first place she’d go to start her rageful bloodlust was him. Marvin gulped again, this time much more roughly and haggardly as his throat suddenly became dry and hoarse. He was going to be in deep shit.

 

Bear clutched to her chest she wandered about the streets. Tears had long since dried on her face and she had gotten distracted by the many different sights around her. Amber’s curious hazel eyes took in the many bars, brothels, and blacksmiths. She didn’t even notice the alcohol stinging her nose. Her mommy used to smell like that all the time.

“Hey, kid,” a man with a huge beard sat at a table to her left, his gold and silver smile beckoning her over. Beside him stood a courtesan, eyebrow high as she approached the gruff-looking man. His smile was broad as he rested an arm on his knee, hunched over to speak with the child. “I know you… Yeah! I saw you earlier with those strapping fellas. You were with Kim and her friend, right?” he asked, laughing heartily when Amber shrunk back. “I ain’t goin’ ta’ hurt ya lass. What be yer’ name?” he asked, straightening his back a bit. Amber stared at the way his big, bushy, black beard swished about when he spoke, the golden beads tangled in the mess glinting in the sunlight every now and then.

“I’m Amber. Do you know my momma?” she asked, arms wrapping around her bear tighter. She didn’t know where her momma was, and when people started screaming, she got scared. So, she ran. That had proved to be a mistake, seeing how running away didn’t help her find her parent.

“Yer’ momma? Nah, I don’t think so, lassie.” he chuckled. He slumped a little when Amber deflated with his words, making him reconsider what to say next. “Say, how ‘bout you wait with me, I’m sure she’ll come lookin’ for ya.” his smile softened and the child seemed to open up a bit more. “We could play a game.” he offered, chortling when Amber brightened. She raced forward and let him pick her up, propping her on his knee. He gestured towards the table, hand waving over a set of small disks seemingly strewn at random.

“Ye ever play checkers?” he asked, shrugging when Amber sheepishly shook her head no. “I’ll teach ya then. Darlin’!” the man called, startling Amber. A courtesan made her way over, smirk on her face.

“Yes?” she asked, voice quiet and sultry. Amber quirked her brow.

“You be red. Imma’ teach Amber how ta’ play.” he ordered, gesturing to the open seat. The woman didn’t seem at all perturbed by his request and immediately sat down.

“How about you join me, love?” asked the courtesan, holding out a petite hand to Amber. The child looked at it, then the man, and back to the hand. The man shrugged yet again and helped shrug her off his knee, letting her take a seat upon the woman. “Now, the idea is to capture all of his game pieces. We can move diagonally across the board and when you jump over him, you capture his piece. Think you understand?” she asked, leaning down to whisper in the child’s ear. Amber nodded and hesitantly picked up a disk, moving a space forward. The man nodded and held his chin, playfully thinking out his next move. He mimicked her actions and the game was underway, the two battling for the other’s checkers.

Eventually, Amber had seized most of the board, leaving the her combatant with only two disks to his name. By now, he was no longer going easy but actually attempting to best the novice, headache pounding in his ears. The child’s smile had grown over the course of the game, as had the courtesan’s, and both had cheek-splitting grins across their faces.

Amber took another piece. “Bah!” the man exclaimed, throwing his hands up in defeat. “You’re too good, niña.” he grumbled. In a last ditch effort to weaken her forces, he moved his piece and hopped two of Amber’s players, only to be captured in return by a rogue checker. He threw up his hands again and eyed the child. “You sure ye haven’t played this before?” he asked, earning a playful giggle from the child. She shook her head and he smiled, resetting the game pieces. “Wanna have another go?”

“Thatch!” the big bearded man looked up from the game and over his shoulder, a toothy grin cracking his face.

“Kenway, rapscallion of the seas, where have ya been, boy?” Thatch stood and turned around fully, arms held out wide and bottles of booze nestled in each palm. He held the bottles up for Kenway to see.

“Sorry, Blackbeard, no time. Have you seen a little girl runnin’ around? About yay high, got a bear?” asked Edward, hand hovering above his knee. Thatch rose a bushy eyebrow and chuckled loudly.

“You mean this little devil?” he sidestepped to show Amber laughing in the arms of the woman, bear clutched tightly to her chest. “This rascal here’s got a helluva knack for checkers, she does.” he howled with laughter, ringed hand pressed to his chest as he took a swig of ale from the other.

Edward on the other hand had to fight to stay standing as Henry pushed past him and to the bar. He picked Amber up and set her down behind him, casting a glare at Thatch. “Don’t touch her.” he snarled, fists balled defensively. Thatch didn’t seem taken aback by his thunderous demand, instead breaking out into another fit of laughter.

“Who’s this brute?” he asked Edward, chucking an empty bottle in Henry’s direction. “By the way, where’s that beauty? Haven’t seen her since ye arrived, lad.” Thatch couldn’t help another wave of laughter when Hego’s scowl deepened. “Ye got a funny face when yer mad. Just jokin’ around with ya, boy.” Blackbeard chuckled, taking another gulp of his ale.

“Thanks, Thatch.” Edward bowed and turned tail, calling for Henry to join him. Hego did so after a bit of hesitation, frowning when Amber bid the man adieu with a small wave and a big smile.

The pirate couldn’t help but smile back, gripping the edges of his coat as he stood on his toes. “I think I done did make a friend.” he snickered, gulping down more alcohol. The courtesan rolled her eyes and took the bottle from his lips, spilling a bit of the foul-smelling liquid on his already ratty coat.

“Lay off the booze, Blackbeard.” she simpered, setting the bottle on a tray and stalking away with a sway to her hips. Thatch couldn’t help but watch her go, ogling the way her hips sashayed back and forth. “And quit starin’!” she barked. Blackbeard couldn’t stop the drunken laughter, fighting to stay from rolling on the floor. It was a good day for ole’ Blackbeard if he did say so himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is shorter (and a bit of a filler). A lot of it was borne of just "winging it", so I hope it sits well. Feedback is greatly encouraged!


	6. Chapter Six

Kim cracked her knuckles tiredly, relishing the way Marvin scrunched up his nose with each audible _pop_. They’d been stalking the forest floor for a good while, calling out for the child in between a select few mindless rambles as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Kim actually got to see inside the mind of the Templar, picking apart several memories and philosophies as he went about, prattling on about this and that during their search. He’d tried to return the favour more than once, but Kim found herself guarded- unwilling to release any information to the man. She had asked “why” a few times, like when she’d found herself dozing through a particularly vain explanation of weight ratio between a saber and a longsword- she cared not for the science but rather for the functionality of her blades- and the redhead had yet to come up with an answer. Kim never asked that question when Shego was around, but the woman didn’t pry much either. She supposed the often placid, sometimes wordless relationship between her and the green-skinned woman nourished most of her needs. Kim felt she wanted nothing more from the woman than a phlegmatic outlet in which she could feed her stories of quandary and misfortune.

Well, she wished that was all she desired. Kim found herself thinking about the Templar, more often than not. Something about that woman drew a great respect from the Assassin, even if it sometimes happened to be of a _venereal_ nature. It was surreal. The way she interacted with Shego was far more friendly than she’d once intended it to be.

Kim frowned. Those things she said, as they sailed for that mysterious island so many days ago, they haunted her. True, she meant every last word, but that didn’t stop her from suffering a staggering guilt. It felt like decades since she’d muttered such expletive vows, but they stung like she’d uttered them only moments ago. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Hmm?” Marvin stopped mid-sentence upon hearing Kim’s quiet voice. She didn’t pay him any mind, rolled up in her own thoughts. What was she doing, fraternizing with the enemy? They were Templars, for God’s sake! They were culprits to many a crime and yet she found herself searching to create a… whatever it was she had with the Goulds. They’d committed crimes far more heinous than she and the Assassin had barely noticed. The only thing that remotely implicated anything was the various story-telling scars that riddled the flesh of each sibling. They were the enemy, the criminals, the murderers. So, why? Why did she seek out such an obsolete relationship with the Goulds when they were far more dangerous than her or her comrades? When Shego was far more dangerous than any other?

“Because they’re people.” it dawned on Kim. They weren’t the enemy- they were the deviants. They weren’t Templar dogs- they were a family on the run. They weren’t dangerous- they were misunderstood. Kim rubbed the pads of her fingers together in anticipation. Shego wasn’t a monster. She was a human. A Templar human.

“What?” asked Marvin. He still didn’t quite catch what Kim had said, but he didn’t like the way her face twisted with surprise. “What are you thinking about?” he rested a hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. She sighed.

“Nothing.” her small smile was enough to settle the man. Kim returned to her thoughts for only a moment when she heard the faint call of Edward from behind. “Come on, let’s head back.” she pivoted on her heel and took Marvin with her, the team scouting back to the town. The purple-hued man screeched with glee upon seeing Amber in Hego’s burly arms, Shego standing beside him with a tired expression.

“What are you doing up? Go to bed, sis.” Marvin ordered, eyebrows dipping down. He didn’t like the idea of his wounded sister up and about when she still needed to heal. Much to his dismay, however, Shego just waved him off.

“It’s fine, Mego.” she smiled almost drunkenly, eyes glazed over with the last remnants of sleep. Suddenly, Shego’s attention turned to Kim. “Hey beautiful,” she murmured, winking with a mock salute. Kim’s eyebrows almost touched her hairline.

“Oh dear…” Ann stifled a snicker from behind a cupped hand, watching her daughter’s face grow bright red. “I must’ve given her too much.” The older Possible couldn’t help the giggling when Shego proceeded to wrap a loose arm around Kim’s bunched shoulders, drawing her close to her side and pressing the younger Possible’s face into the side of her breast.

“Shego!” Kim screeched. The other siblings began to laugh at her predicament, almost rolling on the ground when Shego didn’t let up. Instead, the woman smirked and nipped at the Assassin’s exposed ear, making the smaller female bloom with red. The green-skinned woman roared with her own laughter when Kim shoved her off, stumbling back and brushing down her overcoat with a huff of indignation. How dare they laugh at her when she’d been stuck between Shego’s lush bosom and muscular arm?... What? Kim rubbed the pads of her fingers together rather roughly. Did she just think that?... What _was_ wrong with her?

“Kimmie-cub,” Ann waved a hand in front of Kim’s face. The Assassin jumped a bit and huffed at her mother with a small scowl. Ann smiled. “Can you help Shego to the guest room?” she asked, turning to cast a quick glance at the green-skinned woman. “I don’t think she’d make it on her own.”

Kim huffed yet again and approached the woman slowly, weary of her able hands and arms, when the Templar spun with the speed of a cat, catching Kim by the waist and pulling her close. She rubbed her knuckles into Kim’s scalp and shoved her down, bending her knees. “Damn it, Shego!” Kim hollered, pushing as hard as she could against the Templar’s side.

Shego just sniggered. “Lighten up, Princess. Come on, let’s go swimming!” the woman smiled brightly, eyes wide awake and looking every which way to spot a swimming hole. She saw the forests on the skirts of town, pointing lazily. She took off at immense speeds, leaving Kim flustered in her attempt to put the woman to rest.

“Damn it, Shego!” she bellowed, taking off in a sprint after the Templar. Even high and injured, Shego was much faster than the rattled Assassin, her backside disappearing into the tree-line. Kim gave chase, dashing through the foliage in pursuit of the escaping woman. “Slow down!” she demanded, lungs burning with exertion.

Shego didn’t listen, or simply didn’t hear her, and continued to run, the distance growing between her and the Assassin. “Keep up, Princess!” the Templar chuckled, glancing over her shoulder for a moment. The angry look on Kim’s face made her speed up, fueling her demonic need for entertainment at the expense of the redhead. When she decided she’d gone far enough, Shego ducked around the trunk of a particularly large tree, banking left towards the mountains. She’d certainly find some sort of lake over there.

Eventually, Kim could hear only her own footsteps, and that made her gut swim with anxiety. Shego was in no state to care for herself, heaven-forbid she came across a wild animal looking for a late night snack. “Shego!” she slowed to a jog and cupped her hands around her mouth, listening for a response. The redhead heard nothing for a few seconds, until a distinct splashing found it’s way into her ear. Kim rolled her eyes and took off in the direction of the sound, emerging into a large clearing. Tall grass and golden cat-tails shimmered with sweet droplets of water under the ashen moon, basking the pond in an ethereal glow. The scene looked like something out of a fairy-tale book; fireflies buzzed about the chilled air and almost fluorescent water glimmered like a sea of diamonds in a beautiful green vessel, inferior only to the very much alive waterfall that spilled lazily down the edge of a risen platform attached to the rock-face. Kim was so busy admiring the clearing that she damn near had a heart attack when she saw Shego.

The Templar had drawn her raven locks up into a thick, clumsy braid that travelled down the length of her spine to her buttocks and her bare flesh glowed like a genuine emerald, pale moonlight bathing her naked body in a serene light. The woman broke halfway through the waterfall’s thick stream, the slowly drifting water cascading down her body like silken cloth, covering her flesh with a shiny sheen. Shego’s side was facing her, one arm coming up to push the bangs out of her face and effectively hiding her breast from Kim’s peering eyes, much to the Assassin’s disdain. The swell of the green-skinned woman’s buttocks beckoned her, begging Kim to come have a feel.

Kim’s jaw had long since been forgotten as she drank in the sight of such a goddess, ignoring the small silvery lines of scars on her limbs and back. They only added to the image, streaking the canvas beautifully to give it even more character- as if it needed such a service.

“S-Shego?” Kim squeaked, breath still escaping her lungs. How does one breathe again? She tried to suck in a breath and found herself unable to, so eagerly captivated by the Templar that she fell into the grass, back sinking into the ground as she stared up at the sky, paralyzed.

“Yes, Princess?” Shego’s sultry voice called back, though she had not intended to promote such a tone. She’d been so excited to take a dip and remove all that nasty grime from her body that she had completely forgotten about the Assassin, so enthralled with cleansing herself that she’d barely realized Kim had arrived.

She turned her emerald pools towards the fallen redhead and chuckled, turning to face her fully. Her bare calves cut through the rippling water with each underwater step, the pads of her feet finding purchase against the spring’s sediment floor. The crystal clear water made way for her graceful stride, as inebriated as she was, and she stopped before the downed Possible, hands on her hips and braid flipped over one shoulder. It sat between her breasts and covered her bare sex, droplets sliding down her smooth thighs.

Kim began to sit up and spotted Shego once more, staring at her breasts heavily and watching the little rivers of water slip off her nipples, splashing gently into the pond’s surface. She had trailed the length of Shego’s hair down to her crossed legs, gazing at the streams of liquid that swam down her smooth, tantalizing flesh. Kim fell back again.

Shego chuckled. “Like what you see, Kimmie?” she asked. The Templar was honestly flattered, but she was much too medically intoxicated to understand the gravity of the situation. Eventually, Kim began to turn on her side and rise to her feet, facing away from the naked woman as she rubbed her fingers together. She heard the shifting of water and tensed, the sound immediately stopping. Shego smirked. “I’ll finish up so you can go home.” she turned in the water and resumed washing herself, wiping away dirt and caked blood before stepping out of the water and off to the side. Kim could hear the rustling of leather and cloth, a sigh of relief ghosting through her lips.

“Come on,” Shego called, heading off barefooted towards The Great Inagua. “Let’s get you home.” she finished, not waiting for the redhead to catch up. Kim stayed a good few yards away from the Templar at all times, staring at her back from a distance. Her still wet skin had helped the loose shirt stick to her back, the white threads growing translucent. The evening glow splashed against Shego’s body, bouncing off the skin beneath like a mirror.

Kim vaguely recalled admiring the woman once before, in the midst of night after she’d had a particularly vivid night terror. She remembered a few hazy details- including her own bodily response. She sighed. What was going on with her? She’d never taken a liking to women before, so why did she now? What was it about Shego that intrigued her so; what so valiantly demanded her attention?

The answer was yet to be revealed, much to her annoyance. “Get it together, Kimberly.” she spat towards the ground, watching her feet crunch down on disregarded twigs and shrubbery. “There’s nothing attractive about the female body… nothing attractive about _Shego_ .” Kim growled, feeling her conscious swirl about in her discontented lie. There must be something if Shego could stir up such _feelings_ , Kim reasoned. But what?

“Coming, Princess?” Shego’s quiet voice saved Kim from her thoughts, head cocked to the side as she peered back and over her shoulder to observe the Assassin. Kim gulped and shook her head no, skipping up a few paces to stand beside the taller woman. Shego didn’t seem bothered by it, more nonchalant about the strange attitude displayed by a usually calm and rational character. But it intrigued her nonetheless, for she knew not what had her Princess in a bind. Without noticing, her arm came up and looped around Kim’s waist, tugging her close. Kim’s side pressed flat against her own and Shego quirked a brow, Kim’s half-strangled gasp finding its way merrily to her ears.

Kim felt the damp shirt wetting her own and felt the hot flesh underneath, her fingers prodding at the warm surface thoughtfully as she feigned an escape effort. She massaged the subtle elevations of musculature and followed the trail of the Templar’s spine, earning her a small shudder from the green-skinned beauty. Kim continued on, exploring the small of Shego’s back and brim of her waist, her palm pressing flush with the woman’s hip as she shoved off, breaking free from the Templar’s luring hold. The Assassin felt a familiar, and rather galling sensation in her abdomen, her fingertips buzzing with excitement. Kim cursed under her breath and sped up, stomping a few paces ahead and out of the forest edge.

The moon had full reign of the sleeping island, flooding the damp, Earthen floor with a silken white. Her eyelids grew heavy and she shuffled off to her parent’s home, stumbling through the door with a sudden exhaustion, making her step leaden and her muscles cumbersome. The couch, while slightly stained, was the closest thing upon which to lay, so she leapt from her spot in the doorway onto the plush cushions, diving into the soft exterior with a yawn. Kim faintly heard her compeer heave herself into the home, shutting the door gently before positioning herself on the wood floor, still wet skin sticking to the finish as she adjusted to face the Assassin. Kim had her back to the Templar, so she was unaware of the sharp emeralds that bore into her form, trying as best they could to see through her. But, sadly, they were unable to do any such thing.

Shego sighed and curled in on herself, fingers playing at the mend upon her thigh, nails plucking at the threads. Small, sharp twinges spiked through the wound, though she didn’t truly care; she’d suffered much worse. But the spear lodged in her chest begged her attention, held and thrust by the redhead who lay only feet away. Shego realized she was foolish to keep the Assassin in her life. Kim spurred worrisome sentiments within the Templar, and Shego could only imagine what would- _could_ happen if she failed to reject them, though the thought of the all the comfort and welfare that could come with it made it all that more tempting.

Shego scoffed through her nose and flipped around, face assaulted by the moonlight that plunged through the bay window. She stared at it.

It stared back.

 

 

The obscure makings of a face plagued her mind, permanently seared upon her vision like a visor. It was ghoulish; no eyes, no nose, no cheeks, and no ears- just a fiendish sneer riddled with pearly teeth inveigling her, beguiling her, seducing her. Surrounded by an infinite white, the only immediate splash of colour was the brilliant red on the floor, splatters of what she could only assume was gore smeared upon the endless white. It seemed to arch and swim towards the mouth, and it opened widely, letting the red pour down and into its depths.

Kim felt the sheer dread force her into a state of paralysis, and she could only stare in horror as the mouth devoured gallons upon gallons of shed butchery. Unable to move, Kim felt her feet sink into the floor. She tried to look down and saw the ground swallow her feet and legs, dragging her down into its ceaseless abyss. Her voice strained to scream and cry, but something told her not to. Voices swirled in her head, like quiet and foreign whispers urging her to stay still, remain transfixed and stationary. Kim glanced up and saw the mouth was no longer a good distance away, but right before her. It breathlessly whispered to her, lips bending and moving with each silent syllable. Kim could only accept its demands with a nod, and the maw gaped, moving over her. She stared into the bloody void and felt a bone-chilling cold envelope her as it lowered itself over her sunken body, stained teeth closing in on her, tantalizingly slow. Kim shut her eyes and sighed with a certain relief, letting her flesh be washed over with a sudden warmth. It deluged her, engulfing her limbs first and then her middle, taking her in.

Millions of tiny pricks prodded her flesh, poking her like harmless needles as numbness took over, darkness swelling around her like a welcomed disease. A faint green light off in the distance tried to lure her, cajoling her with a promise of safeguard and tranquility. Kim was far too intoxicated with Death’s gentle clawing that she ignored the demanding, voiceless call of her saviour, giving into her expiry. Tiredness swamped her and she felt her limbs tug away, body torn apart slowly and fervidly. It was akin to appreciativeness, like whatever claimed her was thankful for having done so.

Kim smiled and let out a slow sigh and a shadowy darkness slithered down her throat and into her lungs, passionately choking her of breath and constricting her chest. It dove into her flesh and took hold of her bones and nerves, smothering them in an inevitable passing. Kim cast one last glance at the aura, feeling the immense despair that emanated from it like a beacon, asking her to fight, to object. To kick and scream until the gloom could no longer sink its dastardly talons into her skin. But she didn’t hear it. A final wave of twilight swamped her, consuming her whole and rendering her numb and immobile. The woman could no longer feel, could no longer see, and could no longer breathe. Death’s nebulous face appeared in the shade, blank face smiling at her ardently with a mouth-less grin. Its shapeless body grew closer and closer, nearing her with murky tendrils outstretched, a set of beastly claws reaching out to take hold. The tendrils wrapped around her form and tugged her close, bringing her into Death’s embrace without a word. Death did not whisper to her, and did not look at her. He only hugged her close, caressing her face and hair. Kim craned her neck to stare at him, and his indefinite face did the same. She made out the beginnings of a sincere smile. He leaned down and rested his amorphous chin on her head, holding her close. Kim leaned into Death’s grasp, closing her eyes. He wordlessly claimed her, caressing her soul with his deadly touch and holding her willing corpse against his own. Kim stared at Death with a smile, awaiting the ultimate wave of numbness, almost feeling the rising darkness swimming in her body like water to a vessel.

It filled her and ate at her nerves, dissolving her flesh and bone with a sweet sopor. And she welcomed it.

 

 

Kim woke to the vigorous shoving against her shoulder, small hands attempting to shake her awake. Kim groaned and slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and huffing. “What?” she asked, smacking her lips and swallowing roughly. Someone better be dying, she inwardly growled.

“Kim!” Amber squealed, laughing wildly. Kim turned quickly and faced the child. She spotted the empty space on the floor where Shego had fallen the night before and sighed. The child stared at her with wide eyes, alert and very awake. “Wake up, sleepy head!” she giggled, bear held tightly in her arms.

The Assassin gave her a weak smile and turned to face the child completely, legs swung over the edge of the couch. Amber looked like she’d been awake for hours, though the sun outside seemed to have only just woken a little while ago. The oceanic surface captured rogue rays of golden sunlight, bouncing them up in every direction. She spotted the docks through the window, sails still bound together and left unattended in the dawn’s birth.

“Where’s your momma, Amber?” Kim asked, gently tousling the child’s raven hair. She smothered a shudder with the memories that flickered in and out of her head. The girl giggled and took a small grip on Kim’s hand, tugging her up and towards the kitchen. The Assassin gulped when she spotted her parents sitting across from a rather tired looking group of Goulds. Kim’s parents were speaking with Henry and Shego, while Marvin and the twins had their heads held low, fingers playing at cups of black coffee. William held Warren gently, careful not to disturb the expert mending across his bare back, red skin flush with swelling and irritation. The boys did well to mask whatever unease they felt, keeping small smiles on their faces as they spat quiet jokes back and forth in their own little bubble. Marvin didn’t seem to care, far too preoccupied with the reflection of himself in the mirror on the wooden table. Henry was doing the same, though he was drawn into the discussion every now and then by Ann and his sister. James didn’t seem to remark his presence, or simply didn’t care, and sat beside his wife, nursing his own bitter coffee. Shego, on the other hand, was fully occupied in answering any and all questions Ann threw her way, including ones about her future plans, though she didn’t have much of an answer to them.

Kim hobbled over to Shego and rested a hand on the older woman’s shoulder, massaging it gently as a greeting before pulling up a chair. “What are we talking about?” she asked, looking to her mom for an answer.

“Nothing dear.” her mother smiling with a sideways nod, dismissing the younger Possible. Ann took a sip of her coffee and stared at Shego from the rim of her cup, the green-skinned woman returning it in kind.

“Your brothers are returning today, Kimmie-cub.” James murmured from his seat beside his wife, eyes glued to a particularly interesting parchment, scrutinizing gaze skimming the literary contents.

Kim seemed to brighten and nudged Shego gently. “Twins.” she warned. Shego’s eyebrows rose a bit but she nodded in understanding, casting a quick glance towards her own set of look-alike monsters. “Don’t worry, Jim and Tim are good boys.” Kim chuckled, leaning back in her seat. She crossed her legs and stretched, yawning heavily. Just as she straightened her back, Amber raced into the room, bear bouncing in her possessive grasp.

“Momma!” the girl squealed, bouncing up and down beside the woman. Shego chuckled gently and hoisted the girl into her lap, wrapping her arms around the child and resting her chin on the girl’s head. Amber giggled and pushed into the embrace, snuggling against her mother’s chest. Ann tittered, sharing a short look with her daughter. Both redheaded Possibles had nostalgic smiles on their faces, watching Shego interact with her daughter.

“So, Shego,” Ann began, catching the attention of the Templar. “How old are you?” she asked. Shego choked on her words for a moment, unsure how to feel about the pressing inquiry. Amber didn’t seem to notice, too content with the floral scent and warm embrace of her momma.

“Twenty three. Amber’s eight.” she snuggled into the child and Amber giggled, shoving the bear up and into her face. Shego snorted and pushed it back down with a quiet laugh, kissing the top of her child’s hair. Ann considered the two with a small nod, sipping her drink.

“Does she have a father?” asked James, finally looking up from the paper to examine those across from him. He smiled fondly at the Templar mother-daughter duo, straightening his parchment and setting it down on the table-top. Though, the sudden downturn of Shego’s lips caused him to reconsider his words.

“No.” she mustered enough sincerity to avoid brewing tension in the otherwise relaxed room. Her grip loosened around the child and Amber looked up at Shego curiously, wide eyes questioning and investigative; her momma was happy a moment ago- what happened? “I am the only one.” she added, effectively stifling the girl’s pressing stare.

Both parents considered the Templar carefully, taking in her suddenly sour mood and slouched posture, engulfing the child protectively. Shego had a distant look in her eyes, like she left the room in place for thought. Her eyes threatened to glaze over, but she willed them not to, shaking her head gently and turning back to the conversation. Henry broke away from the silence swirling about his burly frame and rested a hand on his sister’s shoulder, looking at the Possibles. “Your daughter made sure she was still around though. We can’t say how thankful we are for her, and for the two of you.” he said sincerely, pride be damned. Kim looked utterly disarmed by his favour of her actions, blushing madly at the praise. Ann laughed and clapped her daughter on the arm.

“A friend of Kim’s is a friend of ours.” James perked up, bowing his head in affirmation. Silence befell the room for a moment, save for Amber’s quiet humming and the shuffle of the breeze in the kitchen curtains. Shego still seemed standoffish, and the Assassins noticed. Like, she was withdrawn from reality. The woman absentmindedly came up and traced the scar along her shoulder in small circles, soothing the searing pain residing within. With a huff, Shego shook herself back into actuality, clutching her child tightly. Amber, sensing her mother was aloof, turned around fully and wrapped her arms around Shego. She didn’t know what was wrong, but that was what her mommy did when she was sad.

“Hey baby, why don’t you and Marvin go out and play, yeah?” she suggested with a forced smile, but Amber accepted it nonetheless, gleefully racing off her momma’s lap and to the side of her purple-skinned uncle. He laughed and leapt from his chair, bounding away from the child and out the door in his attempt to escape a tag from the smaller girl. Shego captured the wayward gaze of the twins and gestured for them to follow. She didn’t like discussing plans with them around- it only served to bore the younger Goulds.

With them gone, and Henry fully incorporated into the conversation now, the five sucked in a breath. “So, what now?” asked Hego. Shego stared intently at Kim, much like Ann, waiting for a response.

“What do you mean?” the younger Assassin cocked her head to the side in confusion. Shego rolled her eyes.

“Where do we go now? Amber’s here, what about us?” asked Henry. He was gentle, but prying regardless. The older Possibles shrugged, waiting for someone to jump in.

“I’m not sure. This is Brotherhood territory, so as long as you affiliate with the Templar order,” Kim gestured to Henry’s overcoat, or more specifically the officer patch on his shoulder. Shego would’ve shared the symbol had she not destroyed the coat on her way to the island. “It isn’t safe for you here.” she mumbled. The green-skinned woman seemed to consider her words, weighing her options.

“You could join the Creed.” James offered. The siblings bristled instantly, but Shego was the more noticeable of the two. She knew how much killing that would entail, and she wasn’t too keen on breaking her promise without a good reason. Joining the Brotherhood just to avoid relocating was not a good reason. Besides, Amber was safer if nobody from The Order was around, Shego reasoned. The woman shook her head, preparing to protest when Kim piped up.

“You wouldn’t have to kill anybody. I’ve seen how good you are hand to hand. We could equip you with a blow gun and a cestus; you wouldn’t have to kill.” Kim argued, tone meddled with hope and anticipation. If she could convince Shego to speak with the Grand Master in Tulum, perhaps she’d be able to stay with Amber, with her brothers. With _her_.

Shego ran a hand through her hair, heavily assessing her options. On one hand, she’d make sure nobody ever found Amber again at the expense of her own life, ensuring the child would be able to live and grow safely. On the other, she would be able to continue on as Amber’s guardian, and remain with those she loved most in one of the safest places in the Caribbean, living under tenets that went against everything she’d ever believed. What a choice, she mused. A few trepidatious moments later and Shego nodded slowly, looking at Henry for confirmation. He nodded back and they looked towards Kim, frowns deep.

“How do we seek an audience with your Grand Master?” asked Henry, hand resting on Shego’s shoulder. She leaned and rested an elbow on her knee, back slouched over and quiet humming inquisitive. Indeed, how would one attempt to approach an Assassin compound without falling prey to guards along the way?

“Kenway, Kyle, Thatch, and I would accompany you. We’d serve as guides and vouch your loyalty if needed.” Kim answered wholeheartedly, utter seriousness marking up her face. The Goulds wordlessly nodded yet again and rose to their feet. Hands pressed to their hearts, they bowed their heads and pivoted on their heels, exiting the house. The Possibles all looked between one another. “I guess we await their answer.”

 

 

Not even a few steps out of the house and Henry looked to his sister. “So,” he began. If anybody had a right to appraise a situation, it was his younger sister. She was a great judge of character, in his opinion. “What do you think? Go against The Order, fight them, oppose them?” he asked. Shego sighed and shook her head.

“I don’t know.” she mumbled, fists clenched tightly. She didn’t like the idea of joining the Creed, being treated like scum on the soles of their boots. Shego pictured many like Kyle infesting the Creed, hating her and what she used to stand for. Sure, she believed that power held a great value in politics, but Laureano had a different idea of how to go about things. The woman shuddered angrily at the thought of how many she’d killed. How many she’d tortured just for the sake of a few words she already knew. How many times her blades rendered limbs a thing of the past, her bullets tearing through bone and painting the Earth red.

Shego remembered when someone asked her how many people she killed. There were so many that she said she’d lost count. The worst aspect of the whole ordeal was the fact that she _loved_ it. Shredding flesh with her espada ancha and severing limbs with her savage kukris, impaling chest cavities with razor spears and removing heads with devastating pistols- it nourished her, fed her, empowered her. She was the monster that lurked in the dark, claws so sharp they haunted her enemies. That was her life in The Order. A revered officer capable of the most heinous assaults, a titan among men and a butcher of opposition. She, and a band of Templar dignitaries alone captured islands and countries, instilling fear in the most valiant and fearless men. A fondness swarmed in her chest, like a euphoric drug. She was a fucking monster, and she _loved it_. And to think, she’d finally be able to turn against those who doubted her, who demanded she do better, was almost orgasmic. A dark hatred burned in her gut like the flames of hell; to think she could finally slaughter Laureano de Torres y Ayala in a bloody massacre of her old comrades brought a certain rapture to her nerves, delighting them with the promise of revenge.

“Sis?” Henry asked worriedly. Shego’s dark smirk was terrifyingly familiar. He gulped down the memories and stopped suddenly, holding the woman by the shoulders. Shego stared up at him with a snarl and he furrowed his brow worriedly. “I thought you let this go…” he murmured, shaking her gently by the shoulders. The woman’s eyes turned dark and seemed to morph dangerously before him, burning bright green and glowing with rage. Her hands flickered with a green flame, the fire dancing around her finger tips and up her forearms. It singed her clothing and smoke wafted up to her nostrils, pearly teeth bared in a newly fanged growl. Shego dared not to speak, for fear of letting loose, but her uncontrollable desire to maim and kill grew more potent in her chest, constricting her lungs and heart with a wild animosity, akin to the most dangerous of malignity. Henry forcibly lifted Shego over his shoulder and threw her into an alleyway, pinning her face down in the sand as she growled and snapped her teeth, gnashing her savage maw like a feral beast.

“Let me go!” she bellowed, hands bursting with a green flame. It stung his flesh through his overcoat, setting the cloth ablaze, but he would not let her go- not until she returned to him. It felt like hours crawled by, Shego viciously struggling under his immense strength. He almost laid upon her, trying to use his weight to still the woman, but he could do no such thing with her brutal claws slashing out to do him harm. Fire danced around them for a good while, singing his clothing and skin, but he refused to release her. Demons could not be released among the populace, he'd once demanded.

“Shea, come back to me.” he whispered quietly, holding her down as she took deep breaths. The woman ceased to struggle violently, seeming to calm down under her older brother. “Just breath, Shea. Come back to me.” he murmured slowly as to not anger his sister further. He already feared her wrath on a good day- he couldn’t imagine what he would suffer if he released her now.

Shego stopped entirely, taking in deep, shaky breaths. The fire choked and sputtered from her hands and forearms, dying with it the euphoric rage in her body. Her heart began to slow down and her face softened, teeth returning to normal as she pursed her lips. “I’m fine, Henry.” she said suddenly. The man wasted no time in rising, holding out a hand for the woman as she stood to her feet. With a skirting glance, Henry made sure their were no onlookers. Shego, meanwhile, dusted herself off and looked her brother over, frowning at the various bleeding wounds littering his arms and legs. “I’m sorry.” Shego felt tears beginning to sting the back of her eyes, arms wrapping around Hego’s burly frame. He instantly returned the embrace, holding the woman close. Eventually, the two stepped back, evaluating the scene around them. The buildings on either side were scorched and some of the sand had turned to molten glass, shiny and fresh. Shego frowned at it and clenched her fists, digging her claws into the flesh of her palm.

“No hard feelings, Shea.” he smiled and pat her shoulder, hand warm from the flames that licked it only moments ago. “Now, I need you to focus.” he began to speak and Shego frowned. “Do we join the Assassin’s Creed, or do we flee. I need your answer now, Shea.” his tone was soft, but undoubtedly demanding. He would not suffer another restrained skirmish with _that_ form of his sister, not if he could choose for them.

“Let us speak with Princess and her Grand Master, see what this job would necessitate.” she hung her head low in shame, blood dripping from her hands. Henry nodded and engulfed the woman in a shorter hug, helping to restore her collectivism. Once she began to shove him away, the two set off. They had a message to deliver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I really wanted to incorporate Shego's powers, but I thought the idea of a comet would be too off-kilter (though I suppose being a demon isn't too normal either). Hope this sits well, and it will be explained in later chapters. Hang in there!


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is where that necrophilia thing comes in. It is very brief, but, it DOES exist. So, if that is discomforting for anyone, try to avoid the next dream sequence- though it gives a little more insight to Shego and her brothers regarding their "powers". So, y'know, don't say you haven't been warned.

The ocean ebbed and arched around the hull of the schooner, splashing onto the deck and sloshing around the cannons. Kenway situated himself at the wheel, accompanied by Henry who stared out at the gentle sea surface. Kim was beside Kyle who, very carefully, passed her a few angry glances. His eye was still a little bruised and his lip had a nasty scar where she’d split it open. They hadn’t spoken since the incident- Kenway had to convince him to come along, though he was relieved of his weaponry. In regards to arms, Kim was happily reunited with her wrist blade and recurve bow, a large quiver nestled sweetly in the crest of her back. At her side was a pirate cutlass, freshly sharpened and polished, the edge reflecting Shego’s weary expression in the sunlight. Kyle had the nerve to smirk when he spotted her attentive manner, his hand coming up to grip the brim of his trousers, knuckles white and taut with rage. She growled at him, fire blinking in and out of existence around her gloved fingers. It caused the leather to smoke and hiss, so she immediately tried to quench it, ending the streams of smoke billowing upwards into the ocean breeze. Kyle didn’t seem to notice her physical anomaly, too occupied with gaining favour of his betters. Kim glared at him every now and then, returning his stubborn looks in kind with far more threatening ones, eyes narrowed and unforgiving.

The entire ship ride thus far was conducted in complete silence. Thatch tended to himself at the bowsprit, the twins and Marvin had huddled with Amber at the quarter deck, Hego and Kenway at the wheel, Kim and Kyle busy trying to wordlessly gain the attention of the other, and Shego left to watch the waves roll by, hatred too fresh in her gut to risk relaxation. She could feel the heat grinding away in her stomach, tendrils of energy spanning outwards to her finger tips, begging to be released. It demanded that she tear into that naive little punk and show him what fear truly was, urging her to rip him apart and cause him pain like none other. But, she wouldn’t give in, not with people of innocence looming about.

She thought about what Amber would say, what the twins would say if they found out. What Kim would say. Shego glared at her feet, boots pressed firmly against the wet planks.

Kim wanted to look at the woman when she had insisted she be left alone, but when Kim so much as breathed in her direction, she could’ve sworn Shego tried to snarl at her. The Assassin took that as her cue to leave the green-skinned woman to her own, though she prefered that the Templar communicated with her. Shego hadn’t said a word since she and Henry left to contemplate, and Kim had grown worried; the woman never avoided her so blatantly as far as she could recall, so, why was she so bent on it now? But, Kim dared not leave Kyle’s side. If he decided to try anything, she’d have to be the one to stop him- or Shego, if he succeeded. Johnson truly held no respect from anyone on the ship, but if anyone had the damn right to say it, it was Kim. The boy was stupid enough to attack when he was not only outmatched, but downright unprovoked. The redhead wouldn’t be surprised if it came back to bite him in the ass later, especially if she wasn’t the one doing the biting.

After a few more minutes of furtive glowers from the boy, Kim snapped. “What the fuck do you want, Johnson!?” she bit viciously, eyes narrowed dangerously, daring him to retort with anything other than “nothing ma’am”. Kyle didn’t seem to acknowledge her with anything other than his sudden jump, and that really irked the Assassin. Shego stared over her shoulder, watching from the corner of her eye. She made sure to assess the lethality of his trembling hands, and the likelihood of him using them, because all she needed was one hostile slip up and she’d get him a first class ticket to hell.

Kim just huffed angrily and stomped away, driving her heels with maddening force into the deck, soles screeching across the floor as she skidded through puddle after puddle and it was damn near impossible for Kyle not to notice that, from the corner of his peripherals, both women were ready to pounce on him, and he wisely kept his mouth shut, staring out at sea. What a mess he’d gotten himself into, he inwardly chastised. Kyle felt a dark sense of hatred pang his chest when he saw the Templars, when he saw that Templar Whore. What lies had she fed his companion? He decided the lies weren’t important- Kim was gone, torn from him and turned against her kind like a predator to prey. Even through his thick haze of memory, he could remember Kim’s feral eyes staring at his like he was a freshly salvaged steak, like she was ready to devour him alive. “I promise Kim,” he murmured, fists clenched about his waist, tears singing the back of his distraught eyes. “I will avenge you.”

“Johnson!” the boy turned his head, wiping away the searing tingle at the edges of his vision. Kenway had beckoned him, face cold and void of pity. No doubt his better had less than approved of his foul actions, and failed venture, knowing very well Johnson’s skills had been honed to a level far more tempered than that of his childish display; he would have to do better in the eyes of his superior if he ever hoped to be treated as an equal. Kyle sneered at nothing in particular, hands coming up to brace against the rail. Wood jutted out into his fingers, leaving red indents throughout and causing them to ache as his digits gripped the rail in a fit of pique, vowing he’d do well to finish what he started.

“Damn it, Johnson!” Kenway bellowed, the mentor’s disciple turning his head briskly with an uninterested look. Kyle steadily approached the man, careful to avoid Kim and Hego along the way.

“Yes, Captain?” he asked, almost too sweetly. Kenway’s brow arched curiously, but he did not correct the Assassin.

“You’d better watch yourself at Tulum, Kyle. You are on thin ice, and for good reason.” Edward growled in fair warning, arms dropping lazily to his side where he rested them on his blades, short nails clicking quietly against the pommels. Johnson tried to meet Edward’s perpetual gaze but could not bring himself to do so, looking anywhere but in attempt to escape his master’s silent reprimands. The boy could feel Kenway’s invisible daggers slicing into his flesh, heating his face until it was unbearable.

“Understood, Captain.” he bowed his head dejectedly and turned away, but not before Edward’s clutch had him frozen in place.

“And remember,” the man grumbled. “We’re watching you.” With that, he tossed Kyle away and sent him stumbling down the few steps to the main deck, feet skidding clumsily through streaks of water and scrub suds. He managed to catch himself before he became acquainted with the floor, body pressed firmly against the mast and frown deeply scarred into his features. He heard a chuckle come from the green-skinned woman’s direction and he growled in response, patting down the wrinkles in his outfit and striking a haughty pose, nose tipped high and chest puffed.

Shego chuckled darkly from her spot against the far end of the ship, watching the boy from her shoulder with a malicious smirk. Her claws embedded themselves into the rails, scratching up splinters and loosening metal rivets with ease. The sheared through layers of gloss and lumber, breaking the skin on her fingertips and drawing a steady stream of dark, red blood. It stained the wood where the finish was no more and rolled off where it remained, daunting streams dribbling deliciously down the hull’s flank and into the water. Though, the smell was rather repugnant and unsavory, in Shego’s opinion. Her own blood never enticed the smoldering hunger residing deep in her gut, and the same went for her brothers- at least, the one’s who shared her cursed plight. Shego glanced at Henry, frowning at the back of his massive head.

He held it in better than she, _much_ better. Marvin fared a bit better than Shego did in most cases too- she supposed it was associated more with temper than simple rapacious instinct. That didn’t stop her from loathing it, however. Henry was the best of the three, thus he was the most obnoxious in her opinion, simply because she could not understand why he, of all people, could handle the anxious vigor with little more than a few meditations and a book of prayers. “What a fucking _joke_ .” Shego spat, glaring down at the waves colliding with the ship’s body. An insidious voice whispered in the back of her mind, harsh, raspy whispers clouding her thoughts with savage urges. The power was much too real in her body, alive and demanding a gruesome pension, challenging the woman to find out just how _red_ she could paint the deck and how quickly she could salvage those succulent souls for her dear Mistress. Oh how she wished to speak with whom controlled her, required remittance- whom indulged her darkest desires.

“Juno,” she chuckled quietly, humming deeply in her throat. Something pulsed in her lungs and from somewhere else nearby, most likely from Henry. Shego didn’t care to spare him even a curt look of inquiry, her attention focused intently on the steady beating of her deadened heart. It thumped away gingerly in her chest, plumes of virility splicing her muscles like bolts of lightning in her stalwart body. Shego could feel the generous tug from her brother and it begged her to stop, a curt glance confirming his pained expression. The woman rolled her eyes and swallowed the pulse, forcing it to dissolve in her stomach yet again, laying dormant until she beckoned the hunger once more.

Shego was about to lose herself in sick thought once more as Kim raced up to her, resting a gentle hand on her bristling shoulder. In shock, the Templar spun around, prepared to strike Johnson right between his pretentious little eyes, when she was met with that fiery, red mane. “Hey,” Kim’s voice was small and weary, but she proceeded to close the distance between her and her companion. “Is everything alright?”

The green-skinned woman had to fight the desire to scoff in Kim’s innocent face, gulping down a surge of irritation with a forced smile and small nod. “I’m fine, Princess. You needn’t worry about me.” she assured the younger woman, shrugging away a few inches. Kim didn’t seem to notice.

“It’s… you’ve been avoiding me ever since you agreed to come. I wanted to make sure you’re comfortable.” the redhead gave her a sincere quirk of the lips and Shego matched it genuinely, nudging the woman with her shoulder. Kim laughed playfully and elbowed her cohort harder, sending the female back a step or two. Shego narrowed her eyes and raced forth with a childish snicker, shoulder checking the Assassin to the floor- though she didn’t expect Kim to hold onto her during the descent. The two came plummeting to the deck, Shego on top of the Assassin and both snickering merrily. The Templar had landed with her legs on either side of Kim’s hips, the warmth of her core causing the redhead to blush deeply, and she thanked the stars that Shego was too preoccupied with laughing away the day. Kim smirked, and during the older woman’s fit, took the time to plant her open palms on Shego’s shoulders, shoving the female back with a great force. Her victim choked on her laugh and collided with the floor roughly only for her gaudy display to resume in full force.

From across the way, Kyle held a venomous sneer, hands balled tight so that his nails sliced the palm of his hands. How dare that Templar Whore corrupt Kim and have the _audacity_ to toy with her? He took a few shaky steps towards the two when he spotted the acute look upon that burlier man’s face, his blue hands wrapped tightly around the leather-bound hilts of his twin rapiers. They stared at each other for a few tense moments before Kyle broke under his intense gaze, fixing himself on the deck. Perhaps a confrontation in the presence of others was a poor choice, Johnson considered. The boy swiveled around and made his way to the front of the ship, standing idly beside Thatch. The older pirate didn’t acknowledge him, stoic expression startling the sea to make way for their headlong pace. Kyle’s meager scruff of boot against the wood beneath his feet was enough only to stir Blackbeard from his thoughts, but not enough to completely rouse him. Johnson wanted to scream- was nobody going to take his side!? There were known Templars aboard and they were going to transport them to the Assassin headquarters. So many what-if’s coursed through the twitchy boy’s mind, like, what if they were just a ploy to lead the rest of The Order straight to them? What if they were going to kill every Assassin they laid eyes on? What if-

“You’d best keep yer head down, boy.” Thatch’s gruff voice was hushed as he stared Johnson down from the corner of his eye. Kyle looked up at him, hands folded haphazardly behind his back. “Wouldn’t want to start trouble here.” the man added quietly, adjusting his posture to better speak with the Assassin.

“You don’t understand!” Kyle stomped his foot. “They… _she_ is not to be trusted. They-” The elder pirate took a threatening step towards the younger disciple, pinning him with a dark glare. He leaned over and his beard swung as he leveled his eyes on the boy.

“No, _you_ don’t understand.” Blackbeard bit, clenching his jaw and huffing through his nose. “Possible trusts the lot, I expect ye to do the same. Got that, boy?” Thatch turned away with a flourish of his ratty tailcoat, splices of torn and braided cloth smacking against Kyle’s knees as he hoofed back to his place before the bowsprit, hands clasped dangerously tight behind his back. Johnson looked flabbergasted. Did nobody share his opinion? Did nobody think the Templars were _anything_ but trustworthy, or anything of the like? The young man ground his heels into the side rail, snarling when Kim’s delightful laughter rang in his ears like an incessant bell. Damn them all! He’d show Kim in good time what she could not see now, in the presence of such beasts- they were fucking monsters, Kim even said it herself! Kyle reasoned that the Templar woman had managed to feed her so many lies that Kim was fat with falsehood and untruth. That was the only explanation.

“Oi!” silence befell the ship as a foreign voice demanded the attention of the occupants. As one, the schooner’s inhabitants shifted to face the armed man upon his marksman post, staring up at him as he aimed down the sights of his rifle. “State your business, travellers.” He scanned the deck, examining the faces before quickly realizing his mistake. His rifle fell with a thud as he bowed at bent knee and stared down at Kenway from the top of his eye sockets, chin pressed to the dimple upon his breastbone. “My apologizes, Master Kenway.”

Edward chuckled and bowed his head, returning to the wheel with both hands. The waterfront watchtowers didn’t bother them as they sailed through the shallows, docking on the coastline and hopping down onto the sands. Kenway and Thatch led the way, Kyle and Hego taking up the rear of the pack. They traveled along the jungle paths in silence, passing under the very alert gaze of the native Assassins. Some caught the eye of Kim, but she beckoned them away instead of answering to their inquiries- she prefered to avoid confrontation unless absolutely necessary.

They emerged from the brush to stand before the massive Mayan temples of Tulum. The Assassin community bustled about with a quiet hum of activity, shifting here and shuffling there. Many of them smiled at the group, or more like the familiars, and went back to their daily business, though not without careful regards of the Templars the Assassins so openly shielded. Even the younglings stopped to watch them go, screeching to a halt in the midst of their game of tag to stare and gawk, whispering amongst themselves. Some spotted Amber and tried to wave her over, but she clung to her mother with a tight hand, teddy held tightly to her chest and covering most of her face. Shego didn’t mind the children as much as she did the scrutinizing adults, her open hand poised to slash with razor-edged claws. She dared them to make a move.

Kenway halted at the front of their party, settling in on Shego and her older brother. “We are going to meet Ah Tabai, Mentor of the West Indies Brotherhood. You will call him Mentor, nothing else. And, please, let us do the talking,” he gestured between himself and Kim. “You speak only when spoken to. Understood?” he asked. Shego crossed her arms but gave him the courtesy of a curt nod, even though it sickened her to do so. She hated being ordered around; yet another reason she left The Order. Though, she understood that this _Ah Tabai_ was their sort of Grand Master, and she was a guest in this place- he was to be treated with respect, and that was the least she could do in the eyes of her Assassin allies.

Shego was about to begin walking again, her daughter in tow, when Kenway piped up once more. “I think the youths should remain out here, perhaps at one of the camps. They would be taken care of, I assure you.” Shego didn’t have time to protest as Edward called over a few Assassins, mostly women, and spoke to them in a foreign tongue- it wasn’t Spanish, nor English, but whatever the language, it was suffice enough to send them away with the twins and Amber. Henry watched them go, but Shego could only glare at the Master Assassin, arms tightly crossed across her chest. She huffed at him and pushed on past, leading them impatiently up the ancient steps and into the Temple. She was met with soft sconces lit with a brilliant orange flame, illuminating the carpeted walkway that led up to a lush stone throne, upon it a man dressed in Assassin robes crafted from various animal skins. The animal teeth about his neck didn’t hide the nasty scars upon his throat and chest and nor did the war paint on his face mask the lines of old age. His hands were covered in sunspots and his arms were tattered with the lines of forgotten battle, his calves caked with mud and granules of sand and his clothes stained and mildly rugged. Ah Tabai, she presumed. He didn’t seem like anything special, save for that particular blade about his wrists all Assassins seemed to so eagerly employ. The brace was made of tanned hide and the blade was that of pure silver, gilded with subtle lines of gold and copper. He, and his equipment, looked ancient, much like the rest of Tulum, but she would not be so quick to judge.

“Who dares interrupt the peace in my domain, uninvited no less?” his voice boomed and echoed off the moss-slicked walls, bouncing from surface to surface to land harshly in Shego’s ears. The man stood from his perch and stared at Edward and his protege, giving them a small and barely noticeable smile. “Kenway, Possible, what brings you here?” he asked with a far nicer tone, clasping his hands in the small of his taut back.

Kim and Edward approached the Mentor and took to bent knee, bowing before the Eldest Assassin Master. “We bring recruits, new blood for our cause. They too hold disdain for the Templars and-”

“Yet, they themselves are of the same enemy we despise. I know of you, Goulds.” Ah Tabai narrowed his eyes and focused on the rigid form of the green-skinned woman. He approached her, standing before Shego as she tensley, and not without an annoyed huff, assumed the same position that her guides had been in just moments ago. “Especially of _you_ , Shego.” The woman grew even more stiff than she had been before, claws digging into her palms and drawing more blood. She punctured old wounds and scratched open sealed scars, much to her irritation.

Ah Tabai circled the woman, ignoring the quiet growls from Henry across the way as he went about examining the Templar. He nudged her foot and she snarled; he bumped her shoulder and she growled; he jostled her fist and she bared her claws, resisting the urge to swipe out at him. He scoffed at her. “You’ve killed many. Hundreds,” Shego gnashed her teeth under her curtain of black hair. “Thousands,” her claws touched bone. “Millions.”

Shego roared and lunged for Tabai, savage talons swiping across his shoulder. She drew a thick red from his flesh and a feral grin split her face. Tabai assumed a defensive posture and beckoned his wrist blade, the shimmering metal smirking at her in the dim light. Shego slowly circled the man with a brutish flex of her muscles, testing their eagerness and awakening the feeling within them- it had been so long since she truly used them.

Tabai was the first to move, lunging out to slash at Shego’s throat. The woman ducked and back-stepped, moving under his arm and catching him in the side with a swift swipe of the hand. Her claws sunk into his flesh and she yanked him towards her by the torso, hooked talons pulling him closer by the muscles shielding his ribs. She prepared to plunge a devastating fist into the center of his face when the wrist blade pierced her hip, scraping against the pearly white bone and causing her to cry out in pain. “You’ve murdered so many innocents, Assassins, even your own kind. And for what?” he drove the blade further into her body, twisting it lightly. “Loyalty?” he lowered his volume to a mocking whisper. Shego stared into his eyes with a cruel and unrestrained glower, baring her teeth menacingly before sinking them into his wounded shoulder, shearing through the muscle and crunching down on the bone beneath with a satisfying squish, hard fangs sliding through the Mentor’s body like a blade to butter.

Blood swam into her mouth and down her throat, staining her face as Tabai howled in agony. He tore the blade from her hip and forced her jaw to unclench, pushing her off of him and leaping back a few feet. Shego gripped her bloody abdomen and gulped down the vermilion liquid in her mouth, feeling it settle in her stomach like a silky mead- she prepared to get another taste when Tabai began to chuckle, sheathing his wrist blade and standing with his back straight, despite the red that streamed down his arm and hand, staining his clothes and flesh alike. Shego felt it dribble down her chin and onto her chest, staining her own garb.

“You are a feisty one, of that I am sure.” he glanced about his hall, chuckling at the horrified faces that he ghosted over. Kenway had his sword drawn, Kim was paralyzed in shock, and Henry looked ready to pounce, fists swinging along the way. “Come, return tomorrow when the sun has reached its highest in the sky. We will speak further about your admittance then.” Ah Tabai held his shoulder with his uninjured hand, blood flowing between his fingers as he made his way back to the throne. A doctor awaited him with thread and a hooked needle, salves and medicines laid out upon the floor.

“In the meantime,” he called out, gaining the attention of all. “Go see a doctor. There’s one on your way out.” He sat down on his seat and the Assassin tended to his mentor’s wounds. Shego huffed at him and pressed a hand to her hip, limping out of the temple with her cripplingly-shocked cohorts close on her tail. She snapped at Henry when he tried to speak to her, instead focusing on the hooded doctor who greeted them as they departed, head hung low as Shego strode by. The woman followed Shego, eventually taking to leading her to a bowed tree where she urged the green-skinned female to recline. The doctor tended to her wound with deft hands and even cleaned the blood from her face as Kim approached Shego quietly, resting a light hand on her shoulder. The Templar watched the redhead closely, giving her a weak smile- in all honesty, she was somewhat spent. None of them had really slept during the entirety of the ship ride, and now that she had the chance to relax, it was really getting to her. She barely felt the stinging in her side, too focused on keeping her eyelids open. Kim looked to be suffering the same fate, much like her brother and Kenway.

“Henry,” she beckoned him with a gruff call. The man shuffled over to her, staring down at his sister worriedly. “Go find the others, yeah? I’ll join you when we’re done here.” she hissed when the doctor hit a particularly sore spot above her waist. Henry nodded and, with a gaping yawn, set off to find his siblings. Kenway followed him, insisting he accompany the man lest he get lost, taking to a meager wobble and stumble of the feet as he tried to keep up with the burly man. The doctor left moments later with a small bow and pat on the thigh, leaving Kim to stand beside the green-skinned female. Shego eyed Kim curiously when she said nothing for a handful of minutes, and it was then that she noticed the redhead was beginning to sway and wobble, her eyes barely open and her body limp. The woman wrapped an arm around Kim’s side and pulled her onto the tree, on top of her numb body- Kim didn’t protest, and as soon as her head hit Shego’s lush bosom, she fell into a deep slumber. The woman chuckled deeply at the redhead’s expense before she too began to slip away, head falling back to the arced tree and emerald eyelids softly shutting. She succumbed to the darkness with nary a thought, too lost in the sweet warmth that was the Assassin atop her. A smile cracked her face just before she fully fell away; this was her reward, she tiredly mused.

 

 

A sea of corpses surrounded her feet.

Their throats had been slit with four distinct gashes and their faces had been stricken with terror, frozen in death as she drank the red from their veins. It fueled her, empowered her. Her clothes were dark and wet everywhere- not an inch of her was left dry. Her hands dripped with the blood of others and her fangs were painted crimson, so unlike the usual pearly white of her old smile.

Her boots squished in the ocean of gore and her heels broke the bones of the dead. Overhead, she swore the glimmering image of her Mistress nodded admirably down upon her, hands folded neatly before her robes and headdress bobbing with her appreciative nod. “Juno!” she bellowed, voice deep and so foreign in her own ears. “I give myself to you! Take me, and what I have to offer!” she howled with a dark chuckle, drinking in the approving smirk of her Mistress. Juno swept her hand out over the carnage, gesturing to the smoldering artifact hovering over the floor of corpses. It was untouched by the repulsive gore, hovering innocently over the shredded innards, severed limbs, and murdered youths. That’s what they were. Hundreds of innocents, young adults and children slaughtered and drained dry. Nobody lived to grieve their deaths- everyone had fallen victim to Shea’s merciless rampage. The rural village was bathed in the entrails of the fallen and the grass swam with shredded organs, singed by a green flame that had been set ablaze upon the sleeping town. Homes were smoldering and the owners lay waste before their own doorsteps, the faces of twisted portraits of forever-lasting horror washed in the golden glow of Juno’s toy.

Shea approached it with broad steps, taking the halved sphere into a soaking palm. The light forced the blood away from its landing place, settling into the clean spot upon Shea’s open hand. She wrapped tense fingers around the dome, talons clacking against the pulsing surface and she brought it closer and closer to her chest. Juno’s quiet voice murmured in the back of her mind, demanding she press the artifact to her heart. Shea would not diverge from her Mistress’ orders. The flat of the artifact pressed flush against the exterior of the woman’s beating heart, and the bright light seeped into her skin, burning her, killing her. She vaguely heard the calls of her brothers from nearby, but Shea continued to let the fire pour into her body, plaguing her with death’s eerie presence- she could see him smiling at her, beckoning her. Juno called out to Shea, demanding she release the piece of eden and share it with her brethren. They too succumbed to her velvety voice, letting the searing power thrive within them like a virus, diseasing their bodies.

As one, they collapsed upon the expanse of stiffs, swallowed by the cerise as if it were a lake, lying dead amongst the sea of remains. Juno smiled sweetly at her wards, billowing down in her otherworldly glory. She knelt beside Shea and planted a kiss firmly on the woman’s lips, uttering quiet words with bated breath. Slowly- oh so slowly, did the woman’s soft caramel skin turn a pale green, and a emerald flame engulfed her body like a blanket, burning away her clothes and scorching her flesh. The dead woman was consumed by the fire, the heat coursing through her limbs and splicing her organs. “You have done well, slave.” Juno trailed kisses down the woman’s jaw and throat, suckling on the silent pulse point and biting down. She spread the woman’s legs with her own and trailed delicate, almost phantom fingers up the length of Shea’s inner thigh before settling over her cold sex.

Juno delved inside the woman and planted another kiss on the dead woman’s lips, forcing her celestial vigor further inside her disciple. Electric arcs tingled on the tip of her tongue and fingertips, and she pumped in and out faster, taking what was rightfully hers. The warmth began to return to Shea’s cold body and Juno could feel her heart slowly beat to life, the colour returning to the adventurer’s cheeks- Juno had revived her slave.

Shea clutched onto her Mistress, moaning loudly into the lifeless air as her maker flooded her with an unmatched pleasure, energy poisoning her veins and awakening her nerves with a certain ferocity that brought her closer to the edge. Juno curled her fingers inside the woman and felt her walls clench, revelling in the loud groan of her name on the mortal’s tongue, slicing through the thick atmosphere like a knife. “You are mine, mortal.”

Shea sucked in a breath and stared up at the night sky, taking the scent of her massacre with a delicious smirk. “I am yours.”

 

 

The sun had barely crested over the ocean’s horizon, painting the Earthen floor with the shadows of the expansive thicket. Birds chirped delightfully and the wind whistled a jovial tune in the rustling of the woodland leaves. Animals stalked about quietly, munching on the flora and speaking between one another in their tongues; the sky whispered to the forest and the forest whispered back, careful not to wake the inhabitants that resided within. Shego was the first to break this serene tranquility.

She woke with a heavy gasp and thundering heartbeat, eyes wide as she raced away from the brink of death. Or, what felt like the brink. “Juno…” she whispered, clutching the place above her heart. It was painfully clenched in anticipation and her stomach was tied in knots, the sudden need to retch becoming too overwhelming to ignore. Shego haphazardly rolled off the tree trunk and landed roughly on the ground, trying to hold back the rising lump in her throat as she felt her body awaken. It had felt like she died all over again, and she could tell anyone truthfully that it wasn’t a pleasant experience. Her brain raced a mile a minute and her heart pounded so noisily in her ears that she was afraid she’d go deaf- everything hurt and everything felt euphoric in the same instance, and the confusion helped only to encourage the bile rising from her entangled gut, urging it to make an appearance before the day’s end. And it did.

By the time she had finished, Shego felt completely drained. She groaned- the day had only just begun and she already wished it away. And to think, she’d been sleeping so peacefully before, laying on a comfortable tree, holding Kim, snoring away the daylight… Speaking of which, where was Kim? Shego looked up from the dirt and saw the redhead was nowhere to be found. Strange, she mused. The green-skinned woman could’ve sworn Kim had fallen asleep with her the night prior, so where was she now?

“Kim?” Shego’s voice was quiet and cautious. Abandoned in the middle of Assassin territory didn’t sound like a good game plan to her. “Kim?” she called a bit louder, eyes scanning the vivid boscage for a brilliant plume of scarlet. The dread in her gut only became stronger when she saw nothing of the sort. Instead, she saw only shrubbery and small fauna, critters racing along branches and fallen twigs like it were a game. She huffed at them, pivoting on her heel.

“Hey.” Kim’s voice made Shego jump back and she tripped over a root, plummeting to the ground with a groan. The redhead raced forward, sputtering apologies and helping the woman to her feet. Shego waved her off with a wince, hand coming up protectivly over her stitched wound- it didn’t hurt as bad as it could’ve, she reminded herself. “I’m sorry, I was out getting breakfast.” Kim mumbled, producing a wooden tray of assorted fruits and dried meats from a stump nearby. Shego regarded it with a small quirk of the lips and a cocked eyebrow.

“Thank you, Princess.” she chuckled, though she didn’t miss the way Kim no longer cringed at the name. She merely sat down on the ground and began to munch on a few berries, letting Shego carefully lower herself onto the dirt. They ate in silence for a while, just listening to nature’s many voices and the quiet breaths of the other woman as they both silently revelled in the presence of each other. A friendly face was always welcome.

“So, how did you sleep?” Kim inquired. Her gaze was settled intently on a particular fruit, rather than on the suddenly very weary expression of the Templar. Shego shifted uncomfortably in place, scratching at her calves through her trousers.

“Alright I suppose. You?” Kim noticed how quickly the woman tried to avert the attention away from herself. “I can’t imagine I was the most comfortable pillow you’ve ever had.” she chuckled lightly, leaning back against a thin tree. Kim laughed.

“Quite the contrary, actually.” she said without thinking. Shego’s surprised expression was lost to her. “You have rather soft… um…” Kim choked a bit on her spit, eyes wide and face flushed with a bright red. Shego took her turn to laugh.

“Careful, Princess, or you might turn the same colour as your hair.” The small jab was enough to silence the redhead entirely, her face buried behind gloved hands. Shego chuckled delightfully at the expense of the Assassin, watching Kim peek through barely parted fingers to watch her cohort make fun. Kim kicked up some dirt in Shego’s direction, huffing at the older woman with a playful scowl- it would’ve been convincing had she not a small smile tugging at the corners of her rosy lips. The green-skinned beauty admired Kim’s youthful aspects, like, how she could always find time to smile, or how she always remembered to laugh throughout the day.

Kim shared the same esteem for the Templar. She respected Shego’s resolve and valued the lack of badgering she seemed to get from everyone else. The green-skinned female acknowledged the boundaries nobody else seemed to regard and she had yet to truly push Kim like so many others. Shego had a sense of independence about her that the Assassin had found rather meritorious; the redhead never experienced such a sincere and forthright attitude from those she encountered, not even her parents… or lovers.

Ronald. Kim recalled his blonde hair, always filled with sand and twigs. His chipper voice rang in her ears and the warm memory of his charming smile- even if it was a bit goofy- never ceased to bring out the best in her. She remembered kissing the young man, while he was still an Assassin. The almost invisible stubble on his chin and cheeks scratched against her face and he was usually too soft, like he was scared of it. As if she’d bite him, Kim inwardly laughed. James was his favourite person in the whole world other than Kim. Her father approved of the boy, and with much coercing, allowed him to move into the Possible residence, though, Kim was pretty sure he listened in the middle of the night to make sure no… “funny business”, as he’d once called it, went on in his house.

That was another strange memory of hers, one she much less fond of. Sex with Ron was odd indeed. The poor boy never really knew quite where to touch, never knew quite where to kiss. He didn’t have good rhythm and had trouble keeping up with Kim when she wouldn’t make it to the precipice, which often left the woman in a bit of distress. She wouldn’t admit that to him, however. Ronald was an innocent boy in the wrong line of work- he was too sensitive, too open, and too big-headed for his own good.

Perhaps that is why he left the Creed behind. Why he left _Kim_ behind. Oh how she missed him, with all his quirky jokes, all his bright smiles, all his crushing bear hugs… Nobody in the Creed had seen him since the day he set sail to Nassau. The only thing they had left from Ron’s time in the Brotherhood was the display of pristine, white Assassin robes and his unblemished wrist blade, adorned with the simplest of metal carvings and leather binds. Kimberly felt her faint smile slowly dip into a saddened frown, one of loss and rejection. She loved that boy, but perhaps it wasn’t the same love he felt for her.

All the while, Shego watched Kim drown in her thoughts, sucked into her memories. Her own quirk of the lips had fallen during that time, and she could only wonder what had her redhead so down. What could she be thinking about? The green-skinned Templar was about to nudge Kim back into reality when the redhead rose to her feet, sweet olive pools glossy and fogged with tears. Shego stared up at the woman as she left, features twisted into something resembling concern. The woman sighed through her nose as that fiery mane disappeared into the brush, leaving her to her own once more.

Emerald eyes scoured the tree tops and she spotted the sun, ready to reach an apex in the sky, and with a grunt and annoyed huff, she set off to the Mentor’s temple. He’d be waiting for her, she was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should make it clear that because the entire game (the entire AC series, actually) is very violent and revolves around killing and such, I am going to incorporate gore quite frequently. People get hurt in these situations, and more often than not, it's the person at the forefront. I believe the explicit nature of battle and brutality (and sexual interaction) helps anchor the aspect of character fear and anxiety, and that in it of itself, violence is a great apparatus to be used when attempting to tie the reader to the events in the story. It's listed in the tags above, but I figured anyone who spends time actually reading these things should know why in the world I am so hell-bent on depicting blood and gore so regularly. I hope the fic is still entertaining, and I think the chapters will grow in length as the story picks up the pace.


	8. Chapter Eight

When he’d told her that they would discuss her admittance, she expected more of a one on one type deal. Not this whole council set up.

The three eldest Gould siblings stood before a council of ten, robed and well dressed Assassins who, rightfully so, wordlessly judged the genuflected foreigners. They held their arms out before them, hands hidden behind flared red and white cuffs that pursed together perfectly- they reminded Shego of her trip to the Middle East so many years ago, where she’d encountered a strange cult of bald-headed men, moaning and chanting in their strange dialects at all hours of the day. So uniform, so without disorder, and so emotionless. It was a bit daunting to be in the presence of such a stone-cold assembly, especially one that would decide whether or not you were allowed to leave  _ alive _ .

Shego knew that somewhere in that conglomerate of faceless municipality councilmen, there were two guaranteed allies, but it did little to ease the fish swimming in the stomachs of the once adversarial personages. If anything, it worried them more, for if the panel declined the Gould’s appeal for ingress it would mean they were to perish in front of their only confidants. The eldest two spared a quick glance between one another, striking emerald green colliding with a pearly blue, both narrowed with anxiety.

Kimberly, on the other hand, continued to stare at the floor, tracing the lines of lain stone as her elder collaborators whispered and mumbled amongst one another, conversing over the many facets of the- hopefully- prospective recruits. She could hear Edward somewhere in the jumbled mess, and Ah Tabai elsewhere, though most of what they said was lost amidst the many hushed exchanges between the supportive and opposing. Kim spied the edge of Henry’s hunky shadow on the borders of her vision, and beside that the smaller, less hulking frames of those she’d come to know over such a short period of time- of course she vouched in their favour, and Edward followed shortly after with a bit of verbal persuasion, but they were too little in a sea of many, so the judgement of the Council was to be in good order. She hoped that they’d be able to assess the palpable advantage to having such valuable assets in the Brotherhood ranks, but she had a diminutive say in the whole ordeal.

Painfully long minutes dragged on by, and just before the arrangement had reached an hour, the caucus fell silent, deathly so. Shego felt her chest tighten nervously and she had to fight the desire to scour their faces for a sign of the verdict. She could hear Henry’s quiet gulp and the soft exhale from Marvin’s nose, and she could feel her patience wearing thin. Would they just say something!? Anything!?

And, just as the tension reached the point of no return, Shego’s wordless prayers were answered. “The Council has decided.” the voice was gruff and unforgiving- Shego recognized it as Ah Tabai’s.

“You are to prove your loyalty to the Creed through example. Travel to the city of Havana in search of a Sage, Bartholomew Roberts. He has been captured by the Templars, and you are to rescue him and bring him back here, to Tulum.” the Mentor crossed his arms behind his back and frowned disapprovingly at Kim when she gawked in his direction. The Council began to disband when Kim demanded their attention.

“That’s impossible! We’ve sent countless scouts out in pursue of Roberts, and they’ve all returned empty-handed. You can’t possibly expect-” the redhead froze under the stern gaze of the Mentor, his steely eyes very impatient. She sighed, and chose her next words very carefully. “They cannot do it alone, let an Assassin accompany them.” she argued, mentally preparing to be assigned to the group. Better her than someone else, someone who didn’t respect Shego and the others as much as she.

“Fine,” Tabai smirked under his cowl and Kim immediately swallowed her relief. She had spoken- thought too soon. “Send that boy, ‘Kyle’ with them. He has yet to earn his rite of passage, let this be his chance to redeem himself.” the man turned on his heel before Kim had a chance to protest, slipping away into the cluster of robed officials. The redhead wanted to scream and wallow at the same time- Kyle didn’t deserve to go with them, hell, he didn’t deserve the robes he donned. Though, Kim wouldn’t dare say any such thing in the face of her superiors, it was unethical to go against her Mentor’s wishes. A deep bow of the head left her brushing past the Goulds, shaky hands coming up to tear the hood down from her head. She heard Shego’s quiet call for the redhead but she was on a mission.

“Where is the little weasel?” grumbled Kim, olive eyes sweeping Assassin camps and settlements for the pompous bastard. She found him leaning upon a tree, trying to sharpen his tongue with one of the more fetching females as he forced jagged words from his mouth, intended to be borne of silk- he’d tried to use honeyed words on Kim before, she pitied the woman who ever had the misfortune of hearing them.

No warning, just a jarring palm on the shoulder and forceful drive into the featureless face of the nearby trunk would be the objects of Kimberly’s convening, and her expressionless visage tore Kyle’s repugnant complaint right out of his promptly desiccated throat. “Pack your bags, rookie. You’ve been deployed.” she huffed, her hot, disgruntled breath slapping across Kyle’s cheek like a gommier switch. The redhead shoved off his shoulder, ploughing his spine into the tree as she tramped noisily away. He watched her go, about to call out for his companion, when a swath of green skin appeared in the corner of his eye.

“What do  _ you _ want, Templar?” Johnson crossed his arms, completely forgetting what had just preceded. Frankly, he didn’t give a flying fuck about what that Templar Whore had to say, but the jab had to have been uttered if he wished to regain a sense of accomplishment.

Henry spoke up for his sister, however, approaching the smaller male with crossed arms and a stiff back. “We’re leaving. Now.” said Henry, booming voice shaking the dew from the leaves overhead. Kyle scoffed at the man and turned around, prepared to split, when a thick hand gripped his collar, lifting him into the air with a grunt.

“Hey!” screeched Johnson. He flailed his arms wildly in a feeble attempt to dissuade his captor, but Hego would have none of it.

“ _ All _ of us. Now, get moving.” the blue male’s order went unheeded until Shego delivered a swift blow to the back of the head, urging Kyle in the correct direction. Johnson huffed angrily at the group, or more specifically, the green-skinned woman, but she paid him little mind beyond the occasional scowl towards the slight stumble in his step and fleeting glances over his shoulder. If he insisted on being such a damn nuisance, she would, without hesitation, throw him into the ravaging sea and make him swim to Havana. A slight tingle of joy pierced Shego’s gut at the mere thought of it; perhaps he’d drown, or better yet, make it to Havana just so she could do it again on the way back.

With a smirk, Shego brushed past the boy, making sure to ram his shoulder as she went on her merry way to the docks. A tiny chuckle graced her lips when he tried to shove back, only to find she was far quicker than he. She made a swift step to the left and he stumbled forth into the sand, yelping clumsily as he fell face fist into the ground. “Watch it, kid.” Shego laughed, kneeling down beside Kyle. He didn’t look at her as he shoved to his feet, brushing himself off.

He huffed and crossed his arms, pacing further ahead to stalk up the length of a boardwalk. “Get us out of here,” he growled at the harbourmaster who, with a nod and gruff acknowledgement, unbound the ropes from the docks. The board skidded across the wet planks with each brush of the calm tide, leaving the siblings to leap onto the rail. Shego cast a smirk towards Johnson and Henry just glared, shaking his head back and forth between the two. Marvin didn’t care much for the boy either, as evidenced by his permanent scowl whenever the ignorant youth even so much as breathed in his direction.

The purple hued man bounded over to his sister, interrupting her barrage of smug expressions and stream of mocking jibes to make himself known, steadying himself against the rail as they shoved off the shore, midday waves crashing dutifully into their hull. “Look, I know you’re still mad at him,” Marvin began and instantly Shego’s face fell, turning a deadly breed of serious. “So am I. But, you shouldn’t start trouble, not if you want to stay on the island.” Shego crossed her arms at her brother, looking away. “Not if you want Amber to stay safe with Kim.” he added, breathing in a sigh of relief when Shego seemed to actually consider his words.

“I suppose you’re right, brother.” she mumbled, the beginnings of a smile cracking her stony demeanor. Marvin’s eyes widened and he turned to race away when Shego caught him in a snug trap, one hand around his throat and the other busy digging her knuckles into his scalp. “What would I do without you, little brother?” she laughed, mischievous dimple clear-cut in her tone alone.

“Die, probably.” he sniggered, elbowing the taller female in her side. The air was forced from her lungs, yet she continued to chuckle breathlessly as Marvin tended to the rat’s nest that had become his once well-groomed, black tresses. He smoothed them out in the shiny reflection of a cannon’s flank, squinting out the sun’s taunting glare. “Damn it, you ruined my hair!” he squealed, trying in vain to remodel his locks in the silvery side of the marine artillery. His sister’s giggling from somewhere to the side only made it worse as his fingers tangled in the short hairs, creating knots and pulling painfully on his scalp.

“Give it a rest, Mego. Your hair looks fine.” Henry chortled, clapping the younger male on the back. Marvin stumbled forward and into the cannon, crushing his chest against the steadfast steel. It didn’t help that his foot managed to slam into an idle cannon ball as he tried to right himself, causing an immense about of startling needles to spike through his foot and up his leg.

“Damn it!” cursed Marvin, high pitched yelp urging more snickers at his expense. He cast a paltry frown in his siblings’ directions, kneeling down to nurse his throbbing toes through the thick, black boot.

“Would you keep it down?” They all turned towards Kyle, his crossed arms and slouched posture begging to be used in Shego’s upcoming verbal onslaught. She had cocked and aimed her beautifully constructed insults when Henry stepped in once more, towering over Johnson with an unforgiving glare. The boy returned it weakly and quickly slid away, situating himself at the helm beside a rather bored looking captain, taking to nagging the poor man’s ear off.

Shego laughed- maybe the old coot had considered making the boy swim as well. She’d have to run it by him later. In the meantime, however, perhaps they would have to play nice with the buffoon, no matter how sickening the thought. His status- though miniscule it may be- kept Kyle protected and well sought-after, and frankly, Shego prefered to stay on the blunt end of the sword during her stay in Tulum. Even if it meant letting the idiot stew in his weak remarks and poor barb rather than rip them straight from his throat.

It struck Shego odd that the boy did not fear her directly, and openly challenged her word in the face of others. True, she was a renowned criminal where he came from, but so was her work, and she wondered why the dolt so readily plowed into her path to cause trouble. Was he not aware of her capabilities? Did he not understand she could render him a pile of flesh and bone before anyone heard his screams? It struck her that the root of such ignorance and lunacy perhaps could be traced to the first day he truly met her, back on that quaint little island in the middle of nowhere. When Kim and her comrades first encountered Shego and her brother, she was apprehended and treated like a dirty prisoner, not the infamous Templar murderer depicted so vividly by her reputation. No, when Kyle had met the green-skinned woman, he had bound her to a fucking tree and decided whether or not she was allowed to eat for the night. That must be it, she decided.

“Well, maybe it’s time for a little enlightenment.” she grumbled, crossing her arms with a huff. Yes, Shego would have to make an example. Maybe not a bloody one, but an example involving a bit of harmless torture; indulge her dark side if only for a moment to show the blockhead she was not to be taken lightly.

Shego spent the rest of the day pondering her “example”, and when the time came for the sun to waddle off below the sea’s navy horizon, she settled down for a night of rest. She could mull over the details tomorrow, when the day was new and everyone had a clear head.

  
  


Tears slipped from between his fingers as he blurrily watched them go, hand in hand and wedding bands glimmering brilliantly in the evening sun. Breathless and still sobbing, he couldn’t stop the anxious pangs from spearing through his chest with each shaky, half-mustered inhale.

His knees hurts from the fall, but he felt little else beside the throbbing agony of finality, watching her walk away with him. He envied his golden brown hair and charming stupidity, the things that had lured her in so many years ago, like the seductive wail of the sirens at sea- irresistible. He resented his naive ignorance and boyish wonder, and the way it pieced so wonderfully with her adult attitude, even if she held fewer years under her belt than anyone else in the Brotherhood. What a mess.

“Kim!” he whimpered, sniveling with his nose rubbed raw. So long had he pined after that woman, and for so many years had he known her heart belonged to another. God, Ronald was his friend, and the only thing he wanted from the man was a chance. A chance with Kim, for Ron to give them space. He thought Ronald had given him just that when he left for the National Guard, and realized too late that the man still resided with his redheaded friend, even if he was lost to a different cause- to a different faith, to another desire different from their own, and yet Kim would be open to nothing more than the biddable return of her friend. Her lover.

Yes, he watched them go through bloodshot eyes as the world simply faded away, his vision reducing to little more than a blurry pinhole. But he could still see them. Her luminous red locks and sweet smile and his goofy, pearly toothed grin, both beaming vividly to the other as they linked arms and walked down the aisle.

Kyle always imagined Kim would want a vibrant ceremony, one where hundreds of people could attend and more open space could remain. One where her family stood aside to wipe away their joyous tears with silvery handkerchiefs, and where her enemies ignored any rivalries just to see such a beautiful occasion. And here he kneeled, away from everyone else, weeping like a child at the base of the aisle. He didn’t belong among the swaths of familiar faces, and the air around him was fuzzy with contempt, nonexistent in its own way. And it was such that Kim never even heard him cry, never knew about the threads of despair sewing his mortal wounds together painfully slow just so he could tear them open again with each jagged call of her silky name, wetted fingers clawing out for her image that grew smaller and smaller as she walked further and further away, casting him away with nary a thought.

What did Kyle want? What did he  _ crave _ ?... Nobody really knew, and likewise even fewer noted his evident anguish. It stained Kim’s presence and poisoned the air with wretchedness- that was all he was. A stain. And the only thing one does with a stain is wash it away and pretend it never existed.

  
  


The throbbing in his chest woke him first, before that dastardly, wingless harpy bothered to try it herself.

Kyle sat up from the wooden planks, rubbing his neck and glaring at nothing in particular before rising shakily from his place on the floor. As he did, he spotted that barbarous woman lying not too far away, her own face stricken with the remnants of night terrors. He almost pitied her. Almost.

“Whatever.” he spat, leaning lazily against the hull’s railing. It didn’t matter to him either way. The ocean breeze whipped against his face, the blue mist hailing onto the sleek wood as waves splashed against the hull, rocking the schooner left and right as they sailed onwards. Somewhere in the distance, Kyle could make out the hazy silhouette of Havana’s cape, just past the crest of docked barques. He cracked a smile- Kyle had always wanted to see Havana, even if he’d wished it to be under different pretenses.

Just as he’d begun to slip away into the recesses of his drowsy mind, a quiet whimper begged his attention. Kyle was a bit irritated to see it coming from the green-skinned woman, and became even more so when she neglected to cease her unconscious groans and moans. He rolled his eyes, stomping over to Shego with the intent to deliver a swift blow to her ribs when he thought differently- even if she wasn’t awake yet, the second that changed he would be in for a world of hurt. Kyle settled for a nudge to the shoulder and rapid backpedal, increasing the distance between him and the troubled female.

It was the wiser choice, it seemed, as Shego bolted upright, swinging black claws in his direction. She was sucking in air and her eyes were wide with alarm, though they narrowed instantly when she settled on Kyle’s smug expression and crossed arms. “What do you want?” she growled, hand pressed to the center of her chest as she rose, glaring angrily at the boy across the way. He shrugged, shaking her off.

“Time to get up.” he smirked when Shego continued to scowl, and it deepened as the seconds crawled by. He took pride in her irked huff and even more so in the way she turned away first, focusing on anything but him. He inwardly cheered his first victory, turning on his heel to once again rest against the wooden rail, arms cross and legs pressed against the wall. Johnson stared out at sea, revelling in the ocean’s breath against his face and neck. It beckoned him.

In fact, had he not met Kim on a whim back in Ile a Vache, Kyle would’ve surely dedicated his time to piracy. He’d studied under a good man from Long Bay, someone who’d been known for his time with Blackbeard- Johnson aspired to work with Thatch back in the day, when he was an innocent fool, so wrapped up in his dreams and halfwit fantasies that had Kim not come to relieve him of his days, he’d be none the wiser.

He chuckled. Kim had shown up on his doorstep, sword drawn and face contorted into something nasty. Turns out, someone spewed a few falsities over Kyle’s head, and he had been dubbed a Templar Scout. Poor Kim when she’d found out that he was anything but. The redhead was livid with her sources and even more furious with the boy for being just another fool.

When Kim had admitted her mistake and began to take her leave, Johnson had fallen to his knees, sputtering words of praise and woo, clutching her assassin robes and begging for Kim to take him with her. He pledged his allegiance with the Creed, something he knew nothing about, and followed her blindly to the docks as she continuously waved him off. When she shoved off the shore, her crew laughing at him as Kim turned her back, Kyle leapt into the ravaging sea and swam after them, screaming all along the way about duties and loyalty and whatnot.

Finally, Kim allowed the boy on board, and they set sail for The Great Inagua, where he met Edward James Kenway. That was a sight to behold; a grown man towering over a quivering teen who stupidly walked into the lion’s den in pursuit of a woman he knew nothing of. Kenway had mocked Johnson and vowed to send him off on the next cargo run, when Kyle pleaded for a chance to be a part of something bigger. It certainly helped seeing Thatch coming to Kenway’s aid, he inwardly chuckled.

That was how he became an Assassin, or a recruit, anyway. Edward became his mentor, and Kyle was trained in the arts of murder. In fact, he was going to become an initiate through the capture and execution of The Goulds back in Cumberland, as a rite of passage. And Shego had to muck it all up.

“Bitch. You took that from me.” he snarled to himself, glaring icy daggers into his distorted reflection. The water splashed up on the hull, slipping onto the deck in mockery. Kyle turned his gaze elsewhere, staring heavily at the woman situated at the bowsprit. She donned a fine set of Tulum mantle robes, the perfect whites and bright reds clashing angrily with the pale green of Shego’s scarred flesh. The tribal outfit played with her image, exposing curves that were otherwise hidden by her old Templar garb. Were she anything but the enemy, Kyle would’ve found her dashing- the bare midriff and loose trousers that barely managed to cling to her hips were admittedly attractive. But, Shego was not worth the praise. He drifted down to her pristine, side-laced, black nobleman’s boots- so unlike his own pirate’s footwear, bloodied and torn with use, battered by a swordsman’s experience. He believed them all amateurs, even in spiteful regards to himself.

“Undignified siren.” he scoffed. Kyle once more shifted his attention, eyes digging into the dark shadow of Havana’s esplanade. They’d grown much closer to the city and he could make out the small outlines of the waterfront, buildings bathing in the shadow of the towering mountains to the west. Even from his perch he could see the inlay of flawless brick and lumber foundation, cookie-cutter buildings lined up by one another along the shore. People already bustled about in the waking sunlight, drifting in and out of the torpid profiles of shops and homes, tending to whatever duties lay before them as a city like any other. Ships were full of crewmen, scrubbing down every surface and testing the sails, searching for any imperfections like any good crew should do. It was amazing, really,how well a group will function should their goals be identical.

Spanish ships, British, Portuguese, and French dotted the docks, visiting for business, posting transfer, prison escorts, and whatever else they were tasked with. Kyle noticed a small, unmarked ship pulling into the docks, and even then he could see the trademark stigma of a prisoner transport: scuffed hull, tattered bowsprit, and a heavy presence of regional guard screaming out “lockup crew”. Funny, Kyle mused, that they too were sent for a captive when it just so happened that another ship had the same thing in mind.

“What’s that?” he heard from somewhere to his right. Kyle glanced to his side where that purple man stood, leaning over and squinting towards the ship berths.

“Looks like an inmate ferry.” Kyle shrugged, facing the male- Marvin, was his name. “Some poor sod getting hauled off to the Governor’s Prisons.” In all honesty, Kyle pitied the man foolish enough to get shipped off to Havana; he’d heard tales of torture so wicked even his own stomach swirled and knotted. Johnson would sooner get himself shot than moved to a holding cell in  _ that _ city. With all the beauty of Havana, it’s infamous clinks were a rather effective deterrent for the naughty and wayward.

“Are there any more?” asked Marvin, and Kyle huffed.

“Looks like that’s the only one. Why?” he asked, frowning when he was met with the dumbfounded glowers of the rest of the crew. What? Was he missing something?

“You dolt,  _ that’s _ the ship we need!” Henry puffed, gesturing out to the masted convoy. The burly male ignored the annoyed look from Kyle as he turned to the captain shouting orders and readying his gear for a skirmish. The rest of the ship followed suit, adjusting their blades and making sure all firearms were loaded. Johnson eyed Shego as she pulled on her cestus, flexing her fingers tensely and smirking at him when she noticed his sidelong stare. He frowned, quickly turning away.

“Get ready to board, boys!” the captain yelled. Cheers followed from the crew members and distinct nods of understanding came from the more levelheaded, only silence leaving their pursed lips. Kyle scoffed and rolled his eyes, approaching Shego from behind.

“Watch and learn,  _ beautiful _ ,” he mocked, tugging his gloves firmly up to his wrists. He appreciated her exasperated glare as he perched himself of the rail.

Like the fool he was, Kyle shouted at the top of his ghastly lungs, leaping from the rail and onto the swabbed, Templar flooring. The battle was sudden, and fierce.

The Assassins swarmed the deck, pouncing on Templar soldiers and drawing blood from thick overcoats, leaving ruthless streaks of red where steel had once been. The clang of metal and smell of sulfur filled the air, and the scent of copper became thick as time went on, crimson water swimming on the waxed floor and dripping through the cracks, leaving some to slip and slide mercilessly into the onslaught. Johnson stood at the center of the fray, swinging his blade like a madman and shoving anything that got too close. He released a mighty war cry and plunged his sword into the gut of a slower fellow, wrenching it free and slashing through the nape of another. A guard rushed him head on, poised to spear him with a bayonet when Kyle drew his wheellock, firing a leaden sphere between the Templar’s eyes. Blood splattered his face and guard fell in a heap onto the deck, adding to the corpses underfoot.

The battle raged on for a short while, and by the time the onslaught began to grow tired, most of the guards had been slain. Johnson scoured the area for fallen comrades, finding very few among the wash of Templar beasts- though he’d wished to find a certain three in the midst. Sadly, he spotted them standing, perfectly unharmed, and painted with red. They seemed perturbed, but said nothing to confirm, standing aside in an eerie silence.

“How’s it feel, to watch them die like  _ dogs _ ?” muttered Kyle, his voice quiet. Thankfully, nobody heard him. He brushed down the ruffles in his outfit, streaking the vermillion splotches down in ragged sweeps and staining his leather gloves. A devilish smirk creased his mouth, having made a  _ very _ clear point. What point, exactly, Kyle wasn’t sure, but it was a point nonetheless.

“Hey, down here!”

The voice startled Kyle enough to make him jump, lips pulled into a glower when he located the source to be just beneath his feet. A man peered up from the gloomy depths of the holding cell, his fingers reaching out to grasp at the iron gate. Johnson crouched down, leveling his gaze on the prisoner below deck.

“And who might you be?” he asked, resting his arms on the crest of his bent knees. The man seemed to glare up through the shadows, piercing the Assassin with a vexed leer. 

“Get me out of ‘ere!” screeched the man, his voice hoarse with overuse. When Kyle made no move to release the prisoner, he took to a vicious growl. “Damn it! Bartholomew Roberts, okay, that’s my fuckin’ name. Now, will you let me out of ‘ere? We ain’t got much time left, y’know.” he spat, gnashed teeth bared in their dull, yellow glory.

“ _ Move _ .” Shego growled. In an instant, she’d flung Kyle away and tore open the hatch, holding out a taught hand for Roberts who, hesitantly, managed to take hold and clamber out.

“Thanks girly.” Roberts smirked, brushing himself off. “You from the Creed, then?” he took in the peculiar dress of his rescuers, or what he assumed to be such. “What brings you here to little ole’ me?” he asked, resting his hands on his hips. Bartholomew rolled his eyes when there was no response. “Not the talkative type, I guess.” he shrugged.

“We need you to come with us. We can keep you safe and well fed,” Henry stepped up with his booming voice only for Johnson to leap before him, face smug with both hands perched on either hip.

“We’re taking you back to Tulum. Let’s get a move on.” he gestured towards the Assassin schooner, frowning when Bartholomew did nothing beside laugh in his arrogant face. “What?” he asked, albeit a bit confused. Did Roberts not understand the imminent danger that would surely ensue should he neglect to take his chance for freedom? “Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough; we are going to take you on our ship- away from the Templars- to Tulum where we will protect you. Make sense?” It was followed with more laughter, and Kyle grew impatient. Somewhere off to the side he could hear the mocking jibes of his favourite green-skinned bitch, her snarky comments driving the boy to see red.

“Look, I don’t know where you got it in your head that I’d just  _ accept _ your ‘invitation’,” Bartholomew adjusted his ratty cravat, standing tall before the others as he addressed Kyle directly. “But I ain’t goin’ nowhere, boy.” he bit, leaning in towards Johnson. Kyle would’ve held his ground were it not for the rancid breath spewing from Robert’s mouth- he barely survived the wave of dizziness that washed over him, let alone the simple desire to gag and cough up last night’s dinner.

“But,” Kyle coughed, trying to subtly wave his hand before his nose. It didn’t help. “You’re not safe here. You needs us!” he insisted, glaring darkly when Roberts stood firmly in place.

“Hurry it up, will you? Reinforcements are closing in.” the captain hollered from the helm, snarling angrily when the indignant shouting grew louder. Everyone could hear the faint rumble of racing footfalls thudding away at the cobble roads. Whomever had decided to visit was closing in. And  _ fast _ .

Shego dug her nails into the edge of the reddened mast, bearing down heavily on Bartholomew with her steely gaze.

“It’s us, or them,” she gestured towards the maimed Templar crewmen. Roberts rubbed gently at his throat in consideration, scowling at her, then the corpses, and then the rapidly approaching guards that were no doubt hell-bent on securing him in yet another cell. The smirk that gradually grew on his lips made the Assassins inwardly groan, and the chuckle that followed only served to make it much, much worse.

“See ya around, girly.” he laughed, turning swiftly on his heel to dive into the starving sea below. Shego bounded to the rail and prepared to leap in as a bullet strafed by her head, managing to miss her flesh by the skin of her cheek. At once, most of the crew cursed and drew their weapons, facing the wave of redcoat guards with distasteful sneers.

“Time to go!” Henry bellowed, yanking both his brother and sister by the collar, tossing them effortlessly onto the schooner. The others were graciously left to evacuate on their own accord, hopping smoothly from the prison brig as the bloody wax was lit up with a cruel hail of leaden gunfire. “Get us the hell out of here!” screamed Henry, fists ramming into the rail in frustration. Bullets pierced the hull and water splashed onto the deck, pooling at their feet as the captain veered the ship North, the flooding floor sloshing with salt water. The soldiers screeched after them, firing more slugs into the brittle wood as the Assassins grew smaller in the distance, their rifles steadied for the shrinking schooner that dove around the bend of the Havana banks, escaping the barrage to flee into open waters.

Hours passed in complete silence, for nobody had the gall to utter a word about what had happened, nor what was to come. Nobody exchanged glances, and nobody acknowledged one another as the time crawled on by. Once the sun had gone down, and the silence grew too thick to breathe, all eyes turned towards the green woman, her eyes dark with rage as she set on her verbal punching bag. “Nice going, buffoon.” she growled, waving an annoyed hand in his direction. Kyle glared at her, aiming his vexed middle finger in her direction.

“If you could keep your gob shut for even a minute, I could’ve convinced Roberts to come with us! But, you just had to go and run that mouth of yours.” he spat, taking pride in the snarl it drew from his assailant.

“Could’ve convinced…” she murmured, baffled by his claim. “You couldn’t convince a rat to follow you even if you sewed your mouth shut and held out a fucking block of cheese. At least  _ I  _  had enough sense to get his attention before I started spewing.” Shego snipped, emerald eyes ablaze with anger.

“Yeah, and look where it got us.” Kyle huffed, crossing his arms. “Now we’ve got no Bartholomew, and no way to find him. Face it, bitch,” he paused to jab a finger in her direction. “You. Fucked. Up.”

Her roar of outrage startled the ship and stunned Kyle long enough for her to pounce on him and wrap a clawed hand around his throat, hurling him over the rail and into the calm, evening waters. The splash of water alerted the crew more than Johnson’s alarmed yelp, his coughing and sputtering accompanied by the frantic flailing of his arms were the only things breaking the sudden silence that befell the crew. A few of them managed to stare at Shego, while others were wise enough to look anywhere but, listening as she called out to the surprised Assassin at sea.

“You looked like you could use a swim to cool that hot head of yours!” she bit, staring down at Johnson with a devilish smirk. “Perhaps you should stay in there for a while longer, or I might just toss you back in.” It was a warning to be heeded, Kyle soon found out, as he yanked himself onto the deck only to be thrown right back into the agitated waves.

As he spat out swaths of salty seawater, Kyle struggled to regain his dignity that had been just as soiled as his clothes, the ocean warmer than his icy glare. “I hate you!” he cried, punching a forceful fist into the waves. He then met the woman’s amused leer, hatefully watching her snicker at his expense.

“You’re late to the party, kid.” she smirked, turning with a flourish of her raven locks. “Now, get your ass up here before I change my mind. You’d only make  _ exceptional _ fish food.” she chuckled, gingerly placing herself beside an amused Mego who, when Henry neglected to look their way, bumped fists with his sister. They watched side by side as Kyle slugged himself over the edge of the ship and onto the deck with a wet thud, trudging his way to an empty sect of the deck. He abandoned his angstful shrewdness in the dark ocean, bringing with him only a healthy conviction for rest as the water chilled him to the bone. One crewmate had the heart to bring him a burlap blanket, tossing it in an ungraceful heap at the boy’s feet. Kyle refused to meet the gaze of anyone on board, and even more so to render himself temporarily deaf to their quiet murmurs.

Shego did the same, but only for her older brother who quickly took to discreetly scolding her whenever the chance arose. It seemed he did not agree that her actions were valid, and she realized he would make use of every chance he got to make sure she knew that.

The Assassins eventually fell into a tense silence, and sleep came swiftly after that. The only member on board to remain awake was Shego herself, eyes locked onto the sleeping face of the boy across the way. He writhed in a chilling pain, even in his sleep, and she slowly but surely began to deeply regret her actions. “Damn it…” she cursed, rising from her place to slump against the youth. She tentatively wrapped an apprehensive arm around Kyle, dragging him closer to her hot flesh as she warmed the Assassin, keeping the pain at bay. Eventually, Kyle stilled and began to snore, snuggling closer as Shego irritatedly spooned him. “You’re lucky Kim likes you, fucker.” she attempted to sneer, but a yawn broke her brief rant.

Just before the fall of her eyelids, she cursed the moon and her predicament. “Kim better be having more fun than I.” she growled half-heartedly, sighing into the cold, night air. Shego thought on the redhead just a bit longer, until she could no longer fight slumber’s deft claws. “I miss her...” she whispered, yawning one final time as she succumbed gratefully to her fatigue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is finally moving along! Sorta. Hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Chapter Nine

A beast wrought of slimy flesh and grotesque, blackened eyes crept deep in the briny depths, shielded from the brilliant moonlight by the famished sea as it rocked anxiously, vexed to nightmare by the wary ships awash its usually beautiful face. This beast knew little beyond the inky waters, and even less about those who frequented the surface. It knew little about the weapons above, and had it a clue to what terrors lay waiting just above the liquid veneer, the beast would’ve known well to stay far below, out of sight should it ever have the misfortune of encountering the malicious monsters overhead. Unfortunately, the beast was just as clueless as those dwelling in the open air, and the hunger that ravaged its gut demanded that it finally explore the yawning maw of the vicious world above.

Beady eyes scanned the glistening, salty wastes from just below the agitated waves, its misshapen, gnarled fangs clicking against one another in its mangled jaw. Leathery skin kept the razors from piercing its hideous face, leaving unsightly depressions on the muddy, green scales all across the beast’s visage. It clicked delightedly when a unaware boat, no bigger than a beachside longhouse, steadily paved through the waves, gliding gently on towards the monster. It whined; a ghastly, high pitched screech that penetrated the ocean’s underwater expanse.

Just as the ship drifted over the mangled beast’s head, it reached out with gangly, elastic-like limbs and pierced the hull, stabbing through the wood as it if were merely a sheet of thin cotton. Looping its tentacles about the ship, like a thing possessed, it rose from the black ocean and surfaced boldly, towering over the schooner as the moon painted its sickening complexion a ghostly white, masking its distorted face in a world of darkness.

The creatures on board scurried about frightfully, rallying together as they drew back muscled arms equipped with long, jagged spears. They acted as little more than twigs when they bounced harmlessly off the slimy surface of the monster, plummeting heavily into the starved sea below. The beast screeched and listened cheerfully as its cry echoed off the ocean surface like appalling drums, crashing into anything and everything to further travel into the unlucky ears of any listener.

The animals aboard the ship continued to vainly hurl the metal sticks at the towering monster, and when it would have no more of their petty games, it lunged. The twisted, mutilated jaw wrapped pleasantly around the entirety of its meal, and it swallowed the schooner whole. The vague and muffled screams of those sliding rapidly down the beast’s elongated throat rang mildly in its furrowed ears, and its own shrieks followed soon after a searing hot pain dragged its way thinly down the length of its slimy esophagus, for within the monster, a creature had punctured the weak, unprotected muscles and tore through the walls to emerge in its clenched gullet.

Putrid, bloody vomit spewed from the barred teeth of the poor sea monster and out came the injured schooner, sizzling and popping as the acidic bile disintegrated the flesh of those still able to move. Injured and very much surprised, the beast dove at the ship, its massive body engulfing the boat as if it were no bigger than a trout, forcing its meal into the ravaging depths with a fury left unmatched. Or so it thought.

One creature had latched onto the slimy flesh and wrenched its way into the beast’s head, slashing through foul-smelling muscle and pearly bone. Blood stained the water and blinded the beast as it screamed in agony, thrashing its titanic head left and right in hopes of dislodging the creature from its skull. The shrieks grew louder as its brain was scored mercilessly, swaths of bloody trenches emerging in the soft tissue, pain hot as magma webbing throughout its horrific body. The monster could see no more, and could hear nothing beyond the churning wails spurting from its own crimson mouth, tearing ragefully from its haggard throat. And then, suddenly, everything went silent.

The monster hung limp in the sea’s arms, arcs of red spreading out like vermillion tentacles. Those still alive swam to the surface, gasping for air and clutching their injured bodies. The creature that had assaulted the monster so brutally remained in the skull of the beast as it drifted lower and lower into the unforgiving abyss, and it drowned, pale flesh painted red as the measly bubbles ceased to slip from its lips, cold and blue. White robes were little more than tattered shreds, and some parts of its lithe body had been seared to the bone, treated hatefully by the seething, salty liquid.

If only the beast had known what would await it on the surface.

  
  


Amber woke to the sound of her own terrified sobs, shooting up from her bed in a flash. The bear held against her chest would’ve surely lost its head had she not dove back into her pillow, shielding her face from the world. “Momma!” she bawled into her pillow, curling into a ball as the nightmare remained fresh in her child mind, forcing its way into the recesses of her memory.

Hours, minutes, maybe days passed- Amber wasn’t really good with time- before she reluctantly emerged from the sanctity of her feathered headrest, teary hazel pools searching frantically about the room for any sign of an unwelcome monster. Even though she was met with nothing but a soothing silence, Amber realized sleep would continue to be evasive. Accepting her sleepless fate, the child slipped quietly off her bed and onto the smooth, model floor, uncalloused feet gently padding on the waxed finish of the wooden panels, her silky slip, much too long for her short body, dragging slowly behind her. The faint smoke of an extinguished flame wafted through the open window, followed by the sweet scent of hookah and foreign tobacco. It calmed the child. Her mommy would come home smelling of alcohol and cigars most nights, so she supposed it was common among adults.

Her small hand wrapped slowly around the iron door handle, pulling it down and tugging the door inwards. The cold, midnight breeze swam merrily into the room, fluttering the drapes and drifting through the air with a serene purpose. Amber emerged into a quiet hallway, lit only by a single sconce, orange flame burning away freely in its glass dome as the scented wicker charred away with each passing second. She continued on down the corridor to a closed door, adjacent to a wide arch leading into a modest kitchen, adorned with strange herbs and spices. Amber peeked into the kitchen and spotted a bundle of sugarcane, bound by gommier twine. She glanced about for any occupants before racing towards the bind, gingerly swiping a shorter stalk form the counter. She giggled quietly to herself and made quick work of the cane, suckling on the exposed cut from which the stalk had been severed, munching on the fibers and drawing out the sweet liquid within.

Once she’d finished, or simply gotten bored, Amber tossed the stalk into a bag in the corner and left, knocking on the door beside the arch. When no response came, she knocked again, her petite knuckles wrapping against the wood. Silence followed again, and she opened the door, peering into the room within. It was monster-free, much like her own, except the drapes had been pulled open, moonlight painting the floor and bed. For a moment, Amber considered returning to her room.

But what if there really  _ were _ monsters in there? The child decided almost instantly that she would not go back alone. “Kim?” she whispered, approaching the occupied bedside. Kim had her back turned to the door and she remained unmoving, even as the child gently shoved her shoulder. “Kim?” she tried again, pleased when the woman’s groan of groggy irritation filled the room.

“Hmm?” grumbled the redhead, her head half turned to face the ceiling, peering at the child from the corner of her eye. As soon as she realized who dared to interrupt her slumber, she smiled- albeit, a bit forced. “What is it, Amber?” she asked, voice soothing and gentle as to not frighten the child.

“I can’t sleep… I’m having nightmares.” mumbled Amber, head turned down. Her bear was pressed flush against her front as she cuddled the plush, taking in sniffs of her mother’s scent wafting off the handwoven cloth.

Kim turned fully and sat up, gesturing towards the bed. Amber hastily clambered onto the comforter and nestled into the empty space, shoving herself into Kim’s abdomen as she curled into a ball. The child pressed her forehead to the flat beneath the Assassin’s breasts, snuggling deeper until Kim wrapped a reluctant arm around the girl. “Momma holds me like this when I have nightmares.” Amber whispered, smile cracking her face when Kim seemed to settle comfortably beside the child, arm draped lightly over her little body.

The redhead too let a smile creep up onto her sleepy features before plopping her head back down on her pillow, yawn splitting her face. “Goodnight, Amber.” she sighed contentedly, breathing in the fresh, night air.

“Night night!” Amber squealed happily. In seconds, the child’s nighttime fright dissolved, and she slipped back into a deep, youngster sleep. Kim followed soon after, when she was no longer able to keep her eyes from falling shut. One more yawn and she succumbed, allowing a tranquil silence to emerge; no more nightmares, for either of them.

  
  


Days had passed since their initial loss of the Sage, and they began to think the worst. With no leads and no viable information, the Assassins were totally in the dark, and the irritation was really starting to get to them.

“The courtesan from Florida said-”

“She was fucking wrong! The harbourmaster in Abaco said he saw Roberts and-”

“Oh shut your fucking trap. Besides, the watchman in Salt Key said-”

“Shut it! All of you!” The captain hollered, shaking an angry fist at the crowded deck. Much of the crew was neck and neck, in each other’s faces with accusing fingers and nasty jibes. Their resources were beginning to run low, much like their patience, and it was only a matter of time before somebody snapped.

“Even if the Sage had been in  _ any _ of those places, he sure as hell ain’t now. So, shut your gobs and go sit in a fucking corner before I throw all of ya overboard!” he warned, grisly beard vibrating with a guttural growl. He cursed under his breath, focusing intensely on the shores of Andreas Island that steadily filled the crisp edges of his vision. “Damn kids.”

Shego chuckled in his direction, arms crossed firmly over her bosom as she bolstered their weight, mildly entertaining herself as she flexed the muscles underneath to make them bounce- sure, she would admit it was a bit strange, but it dispelled the boredom. She found that as the coast grew nearer, an anxious air settled about the ship and its crew members; they couldn’t take another false lead and the tension was starting to dig under her skin.

“Hey,” Henry’s voice startled his sister enough to the point should she had not been playing with her chest, he’d be sporting a big, purple bruise on his cerulean jawline. He eyed her for a moment, amused when she grew dark in the face, before resuming his indifferent expression. “I don’t want to see any more stunts like Havana, okay? The crew’s suffering enough as it is, we can’t afford to start turning against one another.” he urged, imploring that his sister heed his advice. She stared at him blankly for a moment, as if she were contemplating, and pulled a small smile from the corners of her mouth.

“Do not fear, big brother. I’ll be good,” she smirked batting innocent eyelids. “For once.” The woman swung a sharp fist into Henry’s bicep, and while the titan of a man no more than stumbled a step, one burly hand came up to rub at the soreness spiking through his arm and into the tips of his fingers, stabbing at his nerves in mockery. He cast her an indignant frown, but his mischievous smile exposed the mild elation that slogged about his overtaxed mind, threatening to emerge from his throat with a quickly rising chuckle.

He clapped a mighty hand on her shoulder, frowning when her knee failed to buckle. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” grumbled Hego, clearing his throat heavily when she rolled her disinterested emeralds in his direction. Shego swivelled on her heel and waved in silent dismissal, watching from the corner of her eye as he flipped her off, stalking off with a huff and mild grouse.

As the shores grew ever closer, the crew became antsier, wiggling in anticipation. Andreas smiled at them with the calm sway of vibrant palm trees and smooth caress of the short, sand-crusted grass, and she beckoned them with the gentle current and urging wind, calling at the schooner in a low whistle as her breeze weaved through the oil-slicked sails. The white coast bore no docks upon which to settle, only a mere patch of crystal clear shallows where they would be forced to beach, and there were no buildings save for a doddering harbourmaster’s cabin and a poorly maintained inn that fared no better than the chipped pitch beneath each Assassin’s wary foot. In their soaked robes the crew waited, watching almost giddily as the sands scratched against the hull, pulling at the lacquer as they washed themselves ashore like a man-made whale, stranded upon the waterfront.

“Oi!” the captain hollered. The crew gave him an irritated glare when they were met with a rowdy, old man’s smirk. “Get off my ship before I boot ya off!” He didn’t have to say it twice.

Each Assassin raced off the boat and onto the soft ground that threatened to swallow their boots, water sloshing at the ankle as they made a dead sprint for the rickety shack, so glad to finally be on solid land. “God I need a drink.” Shego chirped excitedly, her comrades murmuring amongst themselves in agreement. Like ants they scrawled up the beach towards the inn, paying no mind for the rotten sign hung above the cracked front doors. “Andreas Inn”, it read, crooked and clinging onto its post with a single stretch of fisherman’s rope, frayed and knotted from the years of wear and tear it had suffered in the Caribbean weather.

The double doors almost tore from their hinges as the Assassin crew barged through them, thundering footsteps alerting the handful of occupants already inside. The bartender cast them a weary sneer, but quickly went back to wiping down a rusted tankard with an almost white rag, stained with ale and bourbon. He didn’t bother speaking to the newcomers and instead set to tossing out every mug, cup, goblet, and tankard he had, filling them with a choice liquid the crew assumed was brandy. And, frankly, they didn’t care. The group of initiates swallowed the liquor like water, stomaching round after round of the bitter liquid as they broke out into song and foolish dance.

“Pinheads.” Shego scoffed, downing her eighth pewter of spirit with nary a buzz. Hell, she didn’t even feel tingly, while her gut swam with an alcoholic warmth. She glanced at her brothers- they were a different story. Henry and Marvin were amongst the drunken crowd, arms locked and cheering a shanty tune with slurred voices and wild grins. Their sister gave them a quiet smile from her place at the bar, taking another mindless swig of her drink when a man approached her.

“Why, hello there, sweetheart.” he said without batting an eye. Shego had half the nerve to clock him in the jaw as she examined him up and down. The fellow was dressed in loose-fitting, cloth trousers, stained the same colour as the sand ashore, and a shirtless vest that exposed his gnarly bush of chest hair to the world. Atop his head sat a captain’s hat, caked in mud and what she assumed was dried blood. His breath was nothing to laugh at either.

“Keep moving.” she puffed, turning to face the bar fully. He rested a hand on his hip, eyeing her up and down.

“Now now, I just want ‘ta talk.” he started, taking a seat beside the woman. Shego restrained herself- he hadn’t done anything too foolish. Yet. “Where ‘er ya lot from? Bunch ‘a rowdy fellers’ if I’ve ever seen any.” he chuckled, staring over his shoulder at the group of singing men.

“What’s it to you?” asked Shego, tone curt and uninviting. She swallowed her last bit of brandy and slammed the tankard on the counter when he didn’t respond, earning her a quaint jump from the oaf.

“Look,” he lowered his voice and slouched on the bar, staring her down. “I know who ya’ are, and I don’t like ‘yall comin’ ‘round here. It’s a quiet little place, and it ain’t in need of trouble.” he bit, sharp frown smudging his features. Shego would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little surprised by his terseness, seeing how her hand had already found its way to the belt about her waist, grappling the pouch of darts nestled on her hip. It would be quick and simple to stick him with a bit of poison, but she didn’t want to stir things up if they didn’t need stirring.

“We’re looking for someone. That’s all.” she growled, finger flicking open the snap of the pouch and playing at the feathered butt of a tapered flechette.

He didn’t notice and seemed to perk at the news. “Is that so? Well, I can help ya,” he chuckled. “Fer a small price.” The man took rapid glances from left to right, leaning in a bit too close for comfort. “Who ya lookin’ fer’?”

“A Sage. Bartholomew Roberts.” said Shego, hand firmly wrapped about a slender dart’s metal shaft. So simple.

The barfly shrugged and crossed his arms across the mound of black hair on his chest. “Yeah, I heard of him. He was ‘ere not too long ago.” he said, sporting a black-toothed smirk. “I wonder where he was goin’.” he drawled, tapping impatient fingers on his biceps. Shego frowned. The woman reluctantly tugged a coin sac from her belt, tossing him a few coins of gold. The man thumbed them and chuckled brightly, shoving them in his pocket.

“Ah, my memory is comin’ back. Roberts was headed North of ‘ere, said he was plannin’ on hidin’ out somewhere. Where was that again?” he tapped his chin, calloused fingertip scraping against poorly shaven stubble. A few more coins landed noisily on the waxed countertop. “Oh, yeah, he were headed for Nassau, just Northeast of ‘ere.” chuckled the man. “Now, anythin’ else ya like to know ‘bout?” Shego rolled her eyes.

In a flash of green and white, the Assassin had bolted from her seat and situated herself behind the man, taking his arms and twisting them inwards to meet at the top of his neck. He yelped and she shoved him face first into the bar, slamming his nose onto the wood until it splintered. He cried out and Shego lifted his head by the hair, swiping the hat to the floor and taking a fistful of dirty brown locks before shoving his nose back into the counter. It cracked and gushed blood, red swirling with spilt alcohol and ash from old cigars while the sot coughed on the coppery liquid that swam down his throat and into his lungs. Just when he thought it was over, Shego tightened her hold on his hands and checked him forward, pressing an elbow into his spine as both arms made a satisfying “pop” from their sockets. The barfly screeched in agony, crying sloppy streams of tears from his glazed eyes as Shego forcefully pressed his cheek flush against the bar into a puddle of crimson, waiting until the man ceased to struggle in her vice grip.

The woman’s free hand dug into the pocket in which he had stored his spoils and she fished out the few coins she’d tossed, sliding them over to a passive barkeep. He picked them up without a word and turned the other way, missing the smirk that crested Shego’s dark lips. Silently, Shego pulled the man from his place at the counter and shoved him through the doors, watching gleefully as he landed harshly in the warm sand. His arms and legs flailed wildly as he scrambled to get away from the green-skinned female, weak hands cupping his broken nose and covering his mouth. The Assassin smirked at the sot before taking him by the forearms and dragging him to his trembling feet. He spat blood in her face and realized his mistake immediately, sparing only seconds to stare at the incoming fist the homed in on his mouth. Metal knuckles collided directly with tar-smudged teeth, shattering the bone and sending it flying down the man’s throat. He couldn’t scream as Shego did it again, this time forcing him to the ground in a slumped, sobbing mess.

By now the crew had made their way outside to revel in the commotion, and Kyle stood at the forefront, suddenly sober and very aware. He gaped down at the poor sod, taking in the huddling husk of a broken man that cried before his attacker, staring at him intently even as Shego began to speak.

“Thank you for your time.” she spat, stomping a violent foot down onto the drunkard’s bushy chest before taking prideful strides towards the schooner. She gave it a good shove, frowning when it only moved a few feet. “Well?” she bellowed, peering over her shoulder at the bystanding crew, too drunk to realize she was speaking to them. “Give me a hand!”

That got them going. The other Assassins darted from their place to assist, though Henry’s brutish shove surpassed their efforts alone, the weight of his body sending the ship back into the calm, shoreline waters. As one, they leapt onto the deck and focused on sobriety, managing the sails and tending to leaks while Shego spoke with the captain, sharing one final glance with the man ashore. He squealed and raced back inside, tearing ass into the inn where her scrutinizing gaze could no longer harm him. She huffed and rolled her eyes, settling instead on the bustling of the crew around her. One of her comrades caught her attention- Johnson was set on her from the corner of his eye, wary and cautious. She smirked, followed by a muffled chuckle. It seemed she’d made an example after all.

  
  


He almost kissed the sand when it met the soles of his boots.

Kyle sucked in a breath of air, sighing contentedly when he found it was filled with the grotesque scent of piracy. The lumber and straw huts that littered the land further up the banks filled him with glee, not like the sheer boredom of Andreas. The waxed docks housed their boat easily and the pathways were well-tended, bordered by a lush, green grass. Green. He glanced back at Shego, making sure he was a safe distance away from the woman at all times.

After that stunt with the drunkard, he’d done little more than breathe in her direction- no way he was taking a chance of that wingless harpy targeting him next. So, Johnson did well to keep well out of the way. It seemed everybody had the same idea, everyone but her brothers. Though, they were much quieter and much more lenient to her demands, following behind their sister rather than leading onwards into pirate territory.

Though, he had little trouble admitting to himself that, for the first time since he’d met the vile witch, he’d been truly astonished by her capabilities. The sheer agility with which the woman had acted left him utterly dumbfounded, bitterness cast aside in place for a temporary prideful recollection. Shego was on his side now, and as much as he hated to say it, she was a  _ very _ valuable asset. Regardless, however, Johnson would do no more than whisper in her company, and even less so without. She was like a snake; slithering from place to place, unseen and fully able to strike whenever the thought caught her fancy. “Goddamn shadow, more like.” he grumbled, hooking his thumbs in the brim of his trousers.

A rough thud against his shoulder demanded Kyle turn his attention from his mindless tottering and instead focus on a young chap standing tall- or, rather short- before him, chest out and arm craned in a tight salute. “Name’s Wade, sir.” announced the boy, tricorn hat tipped towards the midday sky. “You look new around here,” he began, eyes skirting about the rapidly approaching Assassins shadowing the man before him. “I’ll be your guide, if you’d like.” The adolescent’s proposition urged a smile from Kyle’s tightly pursed lips, hip cocked as he greeted the boy with a superior’s derision.

“I think I can get along just fine. Beat it, kid.” Johnson flicked his nose to the side, frowning when the boy had yet to budge. “Didn’t you hear me? Get lost.” He stared down the pudgy youth as he smirked up at the Assassin, resting both hands on his hips.

“Suit yourself. If you need me, I’ll be-”

“Run along.” spat Johnson, crossing his arms in a huff. Wade shrugged as he went, ducking around an alley corner as the other initiates reached Kyle’s back.

“What was that about?” asked Marvin, eyebrow risen a bit in intrigue. Kyle just waved him off, taking the first leading steps into the shanty town. It seemed that Nassau had been rather inspired by The Great Inagua, gilded supports shining bright under the baking sun and lush, green grass decorating the ground wherever bars, brothels, or kiosks had yet to litter the streets. Groups of courtesans loomed about wherever there were an abundance of drunkards and burly men while clusters of child pickpockets meandered in the darkness, some playing petty games with one another while lookouts gazed amongst the roads for unsuspecting victims. What a town.

As one, the Assassins made a beeline for the nearest bar, filing through with nary a sound. They crowded the floor, discreetly shoving their way through the sea of inebriation and slurred flirtations, dragging their leaden feet across the slippery planks that dared to scrape against their leather soles. “What a mess.” chimed Henry, lip arched in disgust. Though, he supposed he should be one to talk. His blue skin was hardly such, caked with dirt and sand and nearly unrecognizable as anything other than horribly stained or bruised. The smell was nothing to laugh at either.

Kyle approached the barman, reales jingling in his palm as he took a seat upon a wobbly barstool, leaning forth onto the counter. The bartender- an elderly man with a flourished handlebar mustache- stalked towards the Assassin, footsteps silent and foretelling of his sly nature. “What can I get for ya?” asked the man, his voice smooth with cunning undertones.

The reales slid gracefully across the slick counter, gliding through spilt mead into the gloved palm of the older man, his thick fingers curling swiftly around the coins. He chuckled. “What would ya like to hear?”

“I’m looking for someone,” said Kyle, the bartender rolling his bloodshot eyes upon hearing the  clichéd phrase. “A sage. Bartholomew Roberts. He was said to have sailed here not too long ago.” The man shrugged and twisted a bored finger around his mustache, white gloves playing at the bushy, white whiskers sitting above his upper lip. “Know where I can find him?”

A rapacious laugh followed Kyle’s inquisitive query, and instantly, the Assassin regretted taking the stand. “It’s gonna cost ya a bit more than this, kid.” he tossed the handful of gold coins back, listening to them as they thudded against Johnson’s chest before falling onto the floor below. Kyle glared at the man and tore the coin purse from his belt, tossing it in a heap at the man across from him. “That’s better.” Johnson’s glare deepened. Perhaps he should’ve asked Shego for assistance. “Roberts was in here a few hours ago, ‘n so was another fella askin’ the same questions as  _ you _ .” smirked the man, a gloved digit shoved out at the Assassin. “Said his name was Walpole.”

The speed at which Kyle seized was enough to alert his fellow Assassins, even the Goulds, who, amidst the sparse confusion, took to nearing the barman. Henry closed in on the man from the counter’s entrance, while Shego merely hopped over, trapping him between her brother and herself. “What did you just say?” she asked, glower deep and deadly. She’d better have heard him wrong.

“W-Walpole.” Gone was the man’s venal attitude, replaced by a chilling fear that froze his core. “Duncan Walpole.” The fangs grew simultaneously in the siblings’ mouths and their claws became tapered talons, eyes glowing like the healthiest of flames and growls rumbling in their guts like a virulent, toxic thunder, boiling in their stomachs like magma. An image of the dastardly rat flickered in their eyes, his crooked smile branded into the back of their minds.

“Where was he headed?” It didn’t quite sound like a question that slithered from Shego’s lips, but rather an unearthly demand that the elder cooperate. Henry mimicked her gutteral growl, slowly closing in on the man.

“El Bordello! That’s where Roberts was headed!” the elder whimpered, hands held up in surrender. The siblings were a blur as they bolted from the bar and into the crowded road. Side by side they raced, booted feet kicking up dirt in their wake. Buildings whizzed by, a simple white noise to their sensitive ears as they proceeded down the streets, whorehouse standing proudly before the city fort and peeking down at them from her perch atop the largest hill in Nassau. As they grew closer, the siblings slowed, coming to a sprint before halting completely, interrupted by the heavy scent of sex and cigars that hung like weights in the air, permeating the atmosphere in its thick, smoky glory.

They could vaguely hear the calls of their comrades from down the hill, but neither Shego nor Henry cared enough to pay attention. The green-skinned woman took a deep inhale of her surroundings, so much so that it stung her lungs and nostrils. And then it hit her. The cherry tobacco emerged from the groggy, sex-filled haze, the sweet smog clinging to her tongue and the violent vapors no less a nuisance than an aggressive barrage of warning bells. Walpole’s favourite cigar.

“Come on.” snarled Shego, shoulders tightly knit in anticipation. A courtesan’s hand came up from the corner of her vision, stroking gently across the length of her clavicle, delicate fingers hooking under the woman’s garb. Shego stopped abruptly, frozen in place as manicured nails traced along her flesh, leaving trails of fire. The woman uttered quiet coquetries, but the Assassin was much too focused on the deft touch the harlot practiced so wonderfully. It was familiar. Fresh, like a scar that blemished the woman’s senses in such a manner that she was rendered incapacitated for a short moment. Images flashed behind her eyes, foggy and unclear. She’d repressed those memories long ago, and yet, their very awakening was just as fierce as the moment they were made. Touch, taste, smells became vivid and potent, plaguing Shego’s mind.

The green-skinned female took a large step away from the courtesan, leaving a wide berth between the two as she burst through the brothel doors, hit once again by the disgusting scent of crude fucking. It was sweaty and thick- more dense than the air it beset. The velvet furniture was worthy of little marvel, red surfaces stained in places with what she could only assume was borne of the male variety, white, sticky splotches decorating the flourished dresses that hung licentiously from their small, feminine shoulders. The air was more smoke than oxygen and the heavy scent of mixed tobacco and hookahs resided within the very ziricote walls trapping it within the ever present coitus-prison.

Men of all ages, ranging from those barely adults to the grey-headed elder, rummaged about the halls and lobby of the brothel as if it were a escort groceteria, examining the women as they fondled disgusting reales in their semen-stained trousers; among the crowd, Shego swore she spotted a handful of her ex-comrades and they too were  _ browsing _ the selection of femme fatales. A few of them had the audacity to leave their leathers sitting mid-thigh, with only a thin pair of cotton briefs to hide away their third leg. Though, for what it was worth, one amidst the Templar host was immediately familiar, and in a rather distasteful way.

His dirt brown locks were tightly pulled into a messy ponytail and his ratty goatee quirked itself up with his complacent smirk, blue and white tailcoat pressed firmly against his padded chest as he wandered the bordello in search of yet another conquest. If one could call these women such.

“Duncan.” spat Hego, razor-edged nails cutting through his thick, leather gloves. For once, Shego was the rational one, as Henry shoved his way violently through the horny masses, readily approaching the rat who dared to breathe on the same planet as he. His sister was lucky enough to catch him by the collar as he went and drag him back towards the entrance, sidling into a curtained corner a few feet away from the doors.

“Don’t be stupid, Henry.” she growled. “We can’t do anything to him here, not with so many witnesses.” Her talons cut into her palms as she clenched angry fists.

Hego scoffed and crossed his thick arms across his massive torso. “Then what do you propose we do?” he whispered, though it was much closer to a harsh puff of air from between gnashed teeth. His fangs glistened with saliva, catching the dim lighting of the oil-lamps that littered the walls of their little hiding spot.

Shego sighed and stared at the ground in thought. What  _ would _ she do? Her head perked the instant she got an idea, and the devilish twinkle in her eye made Hego reconsider his words. “I need your money pouch.” she held out a demanding hand while she peeked around the silken drapes, scanning the room for the perfect specimen. Henry huffed and removed the pouch from his custody, dropping it irritatedly into his sister’s palm. Her ideas were always a bit farfetched, and he just  _ couldn’t wait _ to see what she had in store now.

“Now, I need you to go outside and wait for my cue. Got it?” she asked, tone roguish and filled with excitement. The blue-skinned male didn’t even grant her the courtesy of a response, nodding his head and slipping out the front doors and into the street.

Shego chuckled something evil- this was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are- the end of chapter nine. For those of you still following this work, uploads may become a bit spotty in the near future, seeing how school is starting again. Hopefully it won't, but, I figure I should cover my bases early. Don't worry though, there's quite a bit more story to go.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of gore here and there, nothing really surprising there.

“Henry!” called Kyle, his hand coming up reflexively to wave down the brute as Marvin took to bounding up towards his hulking brother. Even from his place at the bottom of the hill, he could see Henry was less than joyful- especially if his seething expression had anything to say about it. As Johnson led his comrades up the group, Hego started to pace, convulsing visibly as he loomed ominously before the brothel doors. “What are you doing?” asked Kyle. He glanced about the taller male. “Where’s Shego?”

As the cerulean man began to respond, guns cocked and sabres slid from their sheaths. Assassin shoulders bunched and their fists clenched, heads slowly rotating to examine sounds emitting from behind their tense backs.

Bayoneted rifles stared them in the face, gleaming steel bridging off the polished wood veneer of the Brown Bess muskets as red garbed guardsmen kneeled in rows to stabilize their loaded firearms. Behind the forefront of low-breathing guards stood their commanding officer, blue tailcoat and bicorn hat denoting his rank amongst the cadets stooped before his navy boots.

“Halt!” he called, finger pointed accusingly at Henry’s beefy chest. The snarled rasp of the cerulean man’s teeth was the grisly response. “You are hereby under arrest!”

Kyle squinted, peering through the jarring, golden rays of sunlight to see the officer. That voice was strikingly familiar, and it warmed him a bit as the tone settled in his ears. But where was it from? “What has he done wrong?” Kyle asked, putting his lithe frame between the handful of barrels and his companion in a futile attempt to ward off the officers.

The officer lifted his chin and took a good, long look at the Assassins, and his eyes widened in shock. “Kyle?” asked the man. Everyone- especially the guards, were taken aback by his inquiry, and even more so by his sudden strides towards Johnson and his mates, so much so that the riflemen lowered their weapons and the Assassins settled comfortably upon the dirt road, unclenching muscles and resisting the urge to flee.

Johnson stared intensely at the man as he grew nearer, only able to fully examine his face when he stood just a mere few inches away. Freckled cheeks, childish grin, and baby blue eyes demanded Kyle’s attention, and he was too entranced to hear the quiet squeak that slipped from between his gaping lips. “Ronald?”

  
  


Hood yanked up and cleavage beautifully exposed, Shego set out among the masses of tantalizing filles de joie, coin purse nestled sweetly in her bare hand. A few of the more promiscuous women approached her openly, abruptly stepping in her way to run their feminine hands over the lengths of her arms and abdomen. A handful dared to reach into her hood and grab at her hair, tugging the taller female down until she managed to elude them with a few select words.  _ Many _ of them managed to take a handful of her chest here or there, and this seemed to catch the attention of the higher-class doxies, their tanned cheeks perked in a wanton expression as sparks of competition flew into the air while they watched their sisters toy with the newcomer. One in particular, a youthful dame with short brown hair and sharp dimples seemed to become quite fond of Shego from across the room, teal eyes setting firmly on the fat pouch of reales held between the female’s fingers.

Long, graceful strides led her to the Assassin, tight dress accentuating her nubile curves and beddable frame. Shego noticed her the instant her sisters made way, courtesans parting like the sea as she paced towards the green-skinned woman. “Perfect.” uttered Shego, putting on her best lecherous expression. The woman grew closer and she sucked in a breath, meeting the trollop halfway. “And what might your name be?”

The prostitute smirked and grabbed the Assassin by her collar, pulling the taller female down to meet her libidinous gaze. “Come here, baby,” groaned the doxy, voice low and smooth like honey. She tugged the raven-haired Assassin further down, face pushing the hood back so that she could nip at the woman’s ear. “It’s whatever you want it to be.” Shego feigned a disappointed frown.

“Then I believe we are done here.” she huffed, taking a curt step back. This made the whore’s eyes enlarge for a moment, teal irises flashing towards the retreating leather pouch gripped in the Assassin’s palm. She stifled her immediate surprise and mild panic, replacing it with a low chuckle and subtle sway of the hips.

“Bonnie.” smirked the courtesan. Shego returned the look in kind, if not more intense than that of the high-class wench, allowing the whore to lead her down a dimly lit hallway. Bonnie pulled them into a cherry-red room, laced with golden embroidery and polished iron racks, each lined with an assortment of sexual instruments. Shego stared at a choker and chain for a moment before focusing on the female before her. Bonnie began to push herself onto the Assassin’s front, forcing the two of them against the wall where she instinctively began to undo the lacing that bound the cloth to the green-skinned woman’s chest. Shego chuckled lightly, pressing the reals against Bonnie’s abdomen, forcing her back towards the draped couch. She straddled the dame, leaning in and nipping at her ear with a short huff of warm breath, whispering delicately in the girl’s ear as she played with the caramel coloured neck beneath strong, clawed fingers.

“I need you to do something for me.” said Shego, low, vampish tones the epitome of verbal sex winding delicately through lust drunk ears. Bonnie gave the Assassin as much attention as she could muster. “Walpole, recognize the name?”

Bonnie actually laughed a little, sitting a little straighter under the looming presence of the other woman’s invasive bosom. “You’re joking, right?” Shego’s eyes squashed that bit of humor in an instant. “He’s here almost every week; unshakeable drive, I say.” Bonnie puffed, pressing her front against the Assassin’s, trying as she might to earn her share.

“Retrieve him for me,” Shego tugged the pouch away, holding it high in the air. “And I’ll make it worth your while.” Bonnie looked skeptical, rightfully so when discussing filthy retch such as him. But, she wasn’t one to complain, especially when gold was involved.

“Of course, baby.” she purred, slipping out from underneath Shego, but not without taking one more playful fistful of loosely bound breast hiding beneath white cloth. The doxie sauntered out of the room and down the hall, head hung low as she plastered a seductive smile upon her youthful face. Long, clumsy strides dragged along the waxed floor, stopping only when she felt she’d grown close enough to earn Walpole’s ever attentive attention. He was already swarmed by a foam of moaning women, voices droning on in low, carnal tones, vividly explicit and rich in tale--but her presence alone was enough to alert her fellow sisters, and they dispersed as she grew near. Duncan remained oddly oblivious to the sudden tension, catching the eye of Bonnie as she went.

She turned to pass him but Walpole caught her by the arm, earning him a girlish giggle and forced flush of the cheeks, hand pressed delicately over her heart and the other limp in his calloused hand. The rancid stench of sulfur and alcohol slithered throughout the air surrounding the Templar ruffian, tendrils of repugnant fetor winding up and into Bonnie’s nose. She fought to keep her features from scrunching up in revulsion.

“Who might you be?” he asked, sharp gaze boring deep gouges into Bonnie’s breasts. She sighed.

“Name’s Bonnie.” she purred, clicking her tongue and taking him by the bandolier. Walpole chuckled and grasped her sashaying hips, following the whore as they made their way back through the crowds of men and women. Down the hall they went, Duncan grabbing forcefully at her garments and dragging his discarded belt by a single loop of his trousers, hands fidgeting at the parting of his briefs whenever they weren’t busied with the silken straps of Bonnie’s dress--how difficult they were being, he realized.

She brushed through the curtained doorway, leading her prey into the dimly lit room. He paid no mind to the corners shrouded in shadow, nor the eerie silence permeating the usually sexual air. He felt only the smooth texture of Bonnie’s sugar-scrubbed shoulders and supple chest, fondling her breasts as he forced himself onto the shorter female, pressing the length of his body against hers as they wobbled towards the wall. He pinned her to the lacquered wallpaper and wood siding, rubbing his freed member along the warm flesh of her inner thigh. She chuckled and playfully shoved him away, taking his mild confusion and blissful merriment as time to make a speedy escape; she knew he was a dead man, and witnesses were not easily forgiven, especially those in brothels.

“Oi, bring your sisters in for some,” he paused and thrust lazily into the air, gripping his cock with a disgusting smirk. Bonnie nodded and took the bronze door handle, pulling the door shut behind her retreat as she palmed her payment against her breast bone, adjusting the pouch from between tantalizing cleavage. Looking the other way truly was an easy task.

He laughed in Bonnie’s direction, plopping down on the couch with a heavy thud, toying with himself as he examined the room for the first time since he’d arrived. The lanterns gave off thin, white tendrils of smoke, hastily extinguished wicks breathing away the remaining puffs of saccharine vanilla aromatics. The silence accentuated the faint ring of pulsing blood in his ears, unnerving as compared to the usual purr of women’s moans, and the air was cold, much colder than the lobby. He stared at the door for a while, eyebrows dipping in growing frustration as time passed, and yet, his doxie had not returned, nor any of her lesser sisters. “What’s takin’ the wench so long?” he asked, standing to his feet. Just as he did so, the door creaked, slowly opening as the curtain was pushed away. He smirked and sat down, taking up most of the couch as he examined the entering beauty.

Her form was well exposed, but in the darkness he could see very little beside the reflective glow of her satin hood and veil, that of which extended far beyond her face, ending just above her navel. Her skin was shadowed, but even then he could make out the defined curve of abdomen, tapering into full hips which turned into long, slender legs, covered only by a licentious pair of short cut underwear. He saw bare arms and smooth hands even in the muted light, as well as the long waterfall of satin hair, draped along his prize’s incredibly exposed back; he was amazed he hadn’t spotted her from the foyer. She sashayed her hips expertly, using one hand to hold the veil across her face while the other helped guide her body over his, careful to avoid his nethers as she perched upon Walpole. She was graceful in her movements, he noticed, far more so than her sisters.

“Now  _ this _ is more like it.” he murmured, resting his hands on the gentle, but beckoning bend of her waist. The female was blatantly silent, staring him in the eyes as he felt around her body, cupping her breasts and feeling the subtle curve of her sex from over the silk lingerie. Had he not been so involved in everything that was this vixen, he would’ve missed the violent snarl that rumbled from behind the mask as he became more pressing, as well as the strong fist that enclosed about his throat, onix claws piercing the outermost layers of flesh beneath his jowls. He growled back, pressing harder between her thighs as if it were a carnal game.

His mind was rapidly changed. The veil was dropped as she reached for the midsection of her back, finding there the covert pocket of poisonous darts and fishing out a single flechette. She threw forth her hand, poised to threaten, when Duncan slammed an open palm on the dart, hoping to stall the attack. Walpole yelped in immediate pain as the long tipped bolt plunged into his hand, running it through and puncturing the other side, drooling a thick, black tar down the metal shaft--he’d be alright, so long as it didn’t enter the wound.

With the other hand, he drew a dagger from his waist and made to stab the woman, surprised when she shoved off him with great speed. He lunged, slashing out in a frenzy to incapacitate his attacker, stunned when she ducked and weaved his wide arcs with little effort, chuckling like a madwoman in the dark--he recognized that sound, dreadfully so. “I should’ve known we’d meet again, sooner or later,” he sneered, laughing lightly in disdain. “It’s been too long, Shego.”

The Assassin had shrunk back into the shadows, and as she spoke, her voice filled the air from all directions. “You have something of mine,” she growled, flitting around the room like a serpent. Walpole flashed his dagger everywhere, turning every which way to spot the woman. Sadly, he was greeted only with darkness.

She clicked her tongue behind his ear with a smirk, pearly fangs reflecting the little bit of light still permeating the room. “The sage.” He swung his blade back, disappointed to have only punctured more shadow. He chuckled.

“That old fool? Whatever would you want with him?” Though he did not care for the answer, he would stall as much as he could. Shego rolled her eyes from her hanging perch on the ceiling, staring down at the man as he frantically peered into the shroud with squinted eyes. The Assassin moved from space to space, scratching deadly claws along the walls to draw his attention. She could hear his heart beating; she licked her lips.

“Where is he?” asked Shego, deft foot kicking out at Duncan’s back. He fell forward, twisting uncomfortably to swing in the direction of the attack, but found yet again all he’d managed to cut was the thick air. He growled at the helpless dagger in his white-knuckled palm, feeling the weight of his firearm hanging upon his bandolier--but he would not risk firing in such a small space. If only he could get her somewhere more open.

“Oh, dearest Shego, you know I don’t kiss and tell. Come down here though, and I may consider showing you a good time.” he chuckled, gripping his cock over the thin cotton of his drawers. She moved and he caught it from the corner, lashing out and releasing the blade mid swing, letting it fly. A faint gasp of pain mirrored his success, though he had little time to revel in it as Shego lunged, near black blood swimming down her arm and onto her claws as she swiped outwards, aiming for his beautifully exposed head. Blood splattered Walpole’s face and he leapt back, feeling the instant burn from his attacker’s spilled lifeblood, searing his flesh and burning through his clothes, though it wouldn’t distract him from Shego’s follow-up; a savage kick to the ribs sent Duncan flying through the wall and onto the crumbling dirt, where he fought to catch his breath while the blow’s aftermath still ran rampant through his bones.

A sheer cliff face hung idly by, just a few yards away from where the Templar had landed. He could see the Nassau ports, or more, his ship awaiting its captain’s return. Even from his the cliffside he could see his men guarding the cargo bay, ready to depart at a moment’s notice.

He had no more time to marvel at his escape as Shego stepped threateningly through the gaping hole, pushing past haphazardly broken wood that tried to cut into her skin. She eyed him like a jaguar does an injured hare, bloody claws itching to tear into revolting flesh, to taste the sweet mortal ichor upon their sable visiage. Even though he lay before her, Duncan had the audacity to smirk, staring daggers at the woman. Drawing his pistol, he took aim and fired.

The grapeshot shell flew into the sky, exploding into a massive plume of asphyxiating smoke the colour of sulfur powder. Walpole looked towards the docks and saw the return fire hailing over his brig, the crew setting to cast off. “You’re too late, the sage is gone.” he laughed for a moment, interrupted by heavy coughing as coppery liquid filled his lungs. She must’ve got him better than he’d once thought.

Shego took sight of the ship as it raced away from the port and stilled, rage dimming the outer edges of her vision until the world grew dark; a sable domain with which to carry out her dreadful misdeeds. She could no longer see Walpole as the wounded animal, but as the hurried pulsing of unspilt blood from within unpunctured veins. The hasty thump of a dying heart pounded deliciously in her ears and she neared, taking silent, yet thundering steps towards her kill. She lunged.

Vicious fangs dipped into the soft surface of a vulnerable throat and talons plunged into the thick of abdominal organs, scraping against the innermost surface of shattered rib bones as they swiftly sliced through the soft tissues to grip the hard form of broken, bodily framework. Screams were deafened by the growing level of crimson in Walpole’s gaping mouth and his eyes scoured the area hastily, in search of anything to relieve him of this agony. There was nothing. Shego gulped down copious amounts of morally tainted blood, fueling her fingers as she poured liquid fire into his shredded gut, ribbons of flesh torn to and fro lazily, dangling limply around the invasive digits. He tried to scream louder, but only managed to choke on the razor maw enclosed about his esophagus, hands clawing weakly at the Assassin’s back to no avail.

Then they fell, slack and lifeless against the reddened dirt, splashing in a pool of his own spilt gore and showering the scene in beautiful droplets of sickening reds, a decorative embroidery about the mud that enclosed the vile, bloodened stage. His eyes remained open, even in death, staring up at the crystal clear Caribbean sky as they proved his final escape from the trepidation of mortal life. Shego knew he would find no solace there--claimed by Juno, there is no tranquility to be had.

Slowly, she released the corpse from her jaws and retrieved her fingers from within its repulsive chest, dragging out with a revolting  _ slick _ . Blood bathed her front, swimming down her flesh where it hadn’t yet been absorbed by her outfit, rivers of vermillion paint glistening upon her face and neck. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder, Shego saw she was without the pressing company of witnesses, so, she nudged Walpole’s side with her foot, sending him plummeting over the cliff’s edge. She watched it crash into the jagged rocks on its way down, landing with a satisfying thud against the lush field below, lost in the rows of tall grasses and thriving shrubbery. She huffed, wiping sloppily the smears of dripping red from her mouth. Pivoting simply on her heel, the woman hopped through the gap in the wall, digging through the cedarwood chest at the other end for her Assassin garments--unstained and perfectly folded within the hidden coffer.

Discarding her borrowed attire, Shego strode for the brothel entrance, where she caught the wayward eye of her hired help from under the protection of an overdrawn hood; no need to show off her face again, not in its current condition, anyway. Still, Bonnie made an attempt to reach the foul mouthed beauty, gliding on bare feet as her sisters parted in her wake. But Shego would be far too quick to apprehend, shoving through the double doors just as the doxie’s hand grazed her squared shoulder. Bonnie frowned, fingering a few shimmering reales in her hand as she watched the doors swing shut, her impromptu customer charging out of the brothel as if it were on fire.

“Hmph.” she shrugged, pocketing her spoils and heading back to her corner at the far end of the room. Business, corrupt or otherwise, will always be business.

  
  


“Ronald?” he breathed, eyes wide and unbelieving, skeptical that the sight before him was anything more than a foul illusion cast upon his heat whipped mind; a wicked play on his senses as the Caribbean sun beat down on his shoulders. When was the last time he’d tasted water?

“Kyle?” came the equally hesitant response, quiet and unsure, prodding gently at the situation as if it would explode in the same fashion as an ignited barrel of Spanish gunpowder. Blue eyes scoured the sweating image of the Assassin troop before him, freckled cheeks scrunched up as he examined them closely, even as the sun bore down into his eyes--bicorn hat be damned. Then his grin grew broad on his face, splitting his cheeks as he sucked in a breath to holler. “KYLE!” he screeched, leaping forward with great speed, arms outstretched wide to envelope the shorter male.

Johnson felt the crushing weight of Ronald plow into his chest, expelling the breath from his lungs as goofishly large hands clasped around his shoulders, squeezing as tight as they possibly could. “It’s been too long!” he chirped, loosening his bear-like grip to ease back and examine his comrade’s face. Kyle’s visage was no pretty sight, caked in dirt and cuts long scabbed over, but it was incredibly nostalgic, riddled with the familiar fleeting memories of aged companionship--though brief, it was incredibly fresh in the recesses of Ronald’s mind, the whipping sting of oceanic air slapping across his freckled face as he sailed alongside the Assassin family stretching into a thousand hours. He could feel the faint prick of sentimental tears ebbing behind his eyes, conniving their escape while he took in the dishevelled appearance of Kyle’s sun-beaten, mission-driven figure, taught with determination even though he’d been stricken with surprise.

A quiet chuckle pushed past the shorter man’s lips, a half grin pulling against his cheeks. “Indeed it has,” he clapped an open palm on Ron’s shoulder, beaming chestnut eyes peering through the hastily trimmed, wind tousled locks about his head, riddled with Caribbean sands and bits of fallen leaves. “How have you been, Stoppable? The Guard treating you well?” he asked, glancing around Ronald’s side to eye the officers. They too stared at him, looking him up and down as they rested their rifles on the ground.

“Actually, I’m with the Navy now. The National Guard was bought out a while ago.” said Ron, shrugging it off nonchalantly. Kyle seemed a bit surprised, but masked it well--what would bring the Navy to take over the National Guard was beyond him, but he supposed any reason was good enough, so long as it didn’t affect him. “Check it,” Ron beamed, boasting an officer’s brooch on his blue tailcoat, the badge glistening with embroidered gold gilding and glimmering gem stones no bigger than grains of sand. Expensive and flamboyant, no doubt. Kyle examined it for a moment, flabbergasted just by the thought of how much money it must’ve cost to make.

“More than my annual salary,” he mumbled, frowning a bit. Then he caught the sidelong gaze of an irritated brute, his cerulean arms crossed over one another in impatience. “So, what is it you need?” he inquired, hands on hips. While he may not like the thug, Henry  _ was _ an Assassin, and thus, part of the family.

Ronald’s sudden change of face brought everyone back down to Earth in mere moments, his grin turned down and eyebrows dipped towards his nose in a mild scowl. “Him,” he bit, pointing sharply at Hego. Marvin pushed himself forth, settling beside his brother in defiance--already his wheelock was drawn, hammer cocked back as his fingers played at the gilded dagger’s hilt sitting upon his hip while Henry moved to nuzzle the pommel of his rapier. “The Navy has been looking for you, Pirate scum.” he growled, drawing his sabre in one hand as the other reached for iron shackles. They were more for show really, seeing how the cuffs would do little to wrap around the man’s burly wrists. Kyle choked on his own spit upon hearing such words, flitting between his friend’s face and his comrade’s thickly clenched fists.

“You mustn’t be serious!” exclaimed Johnson, putting himself between Ronald and Henry. “Under what terms are you to arrest him?” he asked.

Stoppable gestured for his troop to rise and stand behind him, one thrusting a folded parchment towards his commanding officer. “Harbouring a fugitive, attempted assault, child abuse, and accessory to murder.” The Assassins blinked together, sparing a slow, pointed look in Hego’s direction. It was almost comical, had he not been officially charged with criminal offense.

“By order of whom?” Henry piped, rising to the front of the crowd, standing mightily before Ron and his men. Stoppable narrowed his eyes, poking a finger in Henry’s beefy chest.

“That’s none of your concern, miscreant.” jabbed the smaller male, sky blue orbs tense and dark, unwavered by the towering brute’s massive form. “Now,” he began, reaching forward with the cuffs. “You’re coming with us.”

“Now now, wait a minute. There’s been a mistake.” Kyle demanded, shoving between the men in an effort to take control of the steadily heating situation; it was damn near volcanic at this point, tensions rising rapidly between the two parties. “He’s done no such thing,” he protested, staring at Ron as he pleaded Hego’s case. “You trust me, don’t you Ron?” Kyle asked, furrowing his brow when his words fell flat on deaf ears.

“Law is law, and he has broken it. By decree of the Royal Navy, this man is subject to immediate arrest. You must understand, Kyle.” said Ron, pushing by the Assassin.

“Hego?... Mego?”

At once the Assassins turned towards the quiet inquiry, shaky and unsure. The blue-skinned man stared wide eyed, hands clutching his gut as he spotted the gory mess upon smooth cheeks, still dripping crimson swimming down the defined jaw of his trembling sister, nails drooling cerise liquids as red palms fed the waterfalls feeding into her quaking fingers. Marvin reeled, taken aback by Shea’s disgruntled appearance. She stared at her brothers, eyes shut tight and lips pursed together into a thin, sanguinary line, black lips painted scarlet and catching the wayward rays of light even from under the overdrawn hood. Nothing could hide the copper wine swaths on her uncovered stomach, nor the glossy sheen on her heavily exposed chest or the opaque stains on her once clean garb.

Ron held back the urge to vomit where he stood, taking in the mess with gaping mouth and unbelieving orbs.

“Shea,” Henry breathed, lunging forth to grasp his sister, cupping her shoulder blades and drawing her close. He could feel the liquid warmth through the white layers of his outfit and it made him shiver.

“It’s done, but we lost Roberts.” she hissed, shoving the man back with brute force. He stumbled on his heels for a moment, righting himself just as he began to fall. Guards forgotten, he just nodded, accepting the assertion with a frown.

“He’s dead, then.” It was no question, but just as stupid. For that, Shego gave him a deadly glare, pivoting on her heel. Henry began to pursue when he felt the rifle’s muzzle against his shin, Ron staring up at him with a nasty scowl, bayonet stuck in the ground as the iron shackles bumped noisily against the blue man’s arm.

“You’re still under arrest,” he said, glancing at Shego’s departing back. “As are you, miss.” Ron called, earning him nothing more than an indignant twitch of the sharply squared shoulder.

“Henry,” called Shego, eye barely visible from under the think hood’s flared brim, her head turned ever so slightly to snap over her tensed upper frame, emerald pools ablaze with intense aggravation. “Let’s go. We’ve not much time to rectify this.” she flicked her chin towards the downward slope of the dirt road, waiting impatiently for her cohorts. They hadn’t time for idle babbling. God, she worked with a bunch of mindless idiots!

A few more steps and out came Ron’s persistent orders, hand outstretched as if it held invisible chains to bind the woman where she stood. From the corner of her eye, she could see his boyish face turned sour. He seemed familiar. “This is your final warning!” Ronald grit, handling his sabre in one hand while the other remained extended in Shego’s direction. Sighing, Shego turned on her heel and locked sights with the officer, ebony eyebrows dipped in a dangerous glare. Ron eeped slightly, knees buckling as he made to take a cautionary step in retreat, sword’s hilt fumbling in his abating grip and scratching against the cattle-hide palm. He watched helplessly as the Assassin snagged a silver marble from a pouch at her thigh, tossing it lovingly to the centre of the Naval formation, huffing in boredom as the sphere exploded into a massive cloud of hazy, black smoke.

“Let’s go!” she hollered over the shouts of armed soldiers, pleased to see her comrades emerge from the sheet of coal dust with hands pressed over their faces, feet padding frantically towards her and their much desired escape. “Move it!” she growled, kicking a few of the stragglers in the behind, snarling when they fumbled over their own feet. Kyle was of the few who had fallen prey to her mighty heel, diving forward and down the hillside, rolling in pursuit of his hooded brethren. Shego yanked him by the collar as they went, dragging him through the muddy grass and onto the pebbled road, stone shards slicing through his clothes and embedding into his arms and hands.

Upon reaching the planked docks, she tossed him effortlessly onto the splintering wood, approaching the harbourmaster with a gleam in her eye. “Where was that ship headed?” She pointed to the empty space where Walpole’s barque had once been. Before the man could respond with nothing but a disinterested shrug of the brittle shoulder, she slammed a few rugged reales onto the counter, wordlessly suggesting he reconsider his silence.

“Havana.”

A simple nod and the Assassins began to board their ship, taking to the deck and shouting orders to one another. Henry pressed a thick hand to the bend of Shego’s elbow, grabbing her attention just as she made to leap for the schooner. “What are you doing?” he asked. “We can’t just  _ go _ to Havana! Torres will surely have positioned his men everywhere; we’ll be outnumbered.” He saw the faintest flicker of consideration in his sister’s eyes, though it was hastily replaced with anger when she caught sight over Henry’s imposing arm.

Ron and his men were racing towards the docks on horseback, rifles poised to fire endlessly upon the heavily exposed Assassin back.

“Down!” screeched the harbourmaster, his head disappearing below the rickety shack’s countertop as the Brown Bess muskets cracked off, lead bullets raining down on the ocean-eaten wood. The siblings cursed at once, all three making for the shack and ducking down behind the rickety wood, sparing brief glances over the bullet torn walls to see that Stoppable had taken a stand at the forefront of his soldiers, leading them onward with blade drawn and shackles dangling over his shoulders.

“Come out with your hands up!” he bellowed, a tone foreign to his own ears. Kyle peered over the schooner rail, giving Ron a sad, regretful look.

“Damn,” hissed Marvin, fingers fiddling with the etched grip of his pistol. “What now, sis?” he asked, though he’d look towards the schooner before he did his flesh and blood. He caught the skirting eyes of Kyle, and even then he knew Johnson would never forgive the lot if they downed his friend. The history, no matter how muddled still existed, and it was clear there’d be hell to pay if they squandered it over a petty gunfight. But, it was that, or be held captive until they were either sent off to slavery, or hanged. He growled to himself; they’d be damned if they did, and damned if they didn’t.

A sigh escaped Shego’s lips and for a moment, she thought about emerging with her hands behind her head. They were cornered, and coming out with guns blazing would only result in unnecessary lives lost, but she knew that if Torres employed these goons, death would be inevitable.  _ Amber _ . “No,” she growled, slamming a mighty fist into the boardwalk upon which she crouched. “Henry, Marvin,” she grumbled. They looked her dead in the eyes. “Marvin, provide cover fire while Henry boards the ship. And Henry, I need you to get that ship moving as soon as you plant your big ass feet on that deck. He’ll join you shortly after.”

“What about you?” asked Henry. Another stupid question.

Shego smirked and cracked her knuckles. “I’m going to do what I do best,” she sucked in an excited breath, reaching down to palm a single smoke bomb, finger tips grazing over the thin sheet-metal surface and the tiny silver pin embedded in the side.

“Give ‘em hell.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know I've really neglected this for a while, and I suppose there's not really an excuse for it. Just lost the drive for a while, found myself doing other things. Hope it didn't bother anybody too much, my apologies.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always welcome, be it an elucidation of fault or simply to bestow praise. I'd love to hear what you have to say!


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